Interested in viewing hamsters in a very new and somewhat creepy light? Then now's the time to pull up a chair. Gone are the days that the happy-go-lucky rodents can be found exclusively huffing and puffing their love handles away within the framework of an exercise wheel. While they've earned a reputation in recent years as possessing extraordinary organic produce identification skills (see video below for proof), skeptics argue that the diminutive bundles of fur tend to automatically gravitate toward their left, rendering their repeated organic fruit and veggie leanings purely coincidental. Apart from excelling quite well in informal Habitrail Olympics and being especially adept at packing their cheeks with an insane volume of edible goodies, what makes them deserving of our attentions?
How would you feel about switching on one of Dutch designer Joris Laarman's Half Life Lamps and realizing that it's powered with Chinese hamster stem cells? Pretty impressive, huh? Wait a second...are you dry-heaving? Have a sip of water. Feel better? Okay, glad to hear it...now back to the hamster. Sure it's weird, but just stay with me for a moment. For some reason (that is completely beyond me but strangely fascinating nonetheless), the cum laude graduate of the prestigious Design Academy Eindhoven has for many years tinkered in a lab, cooking up a kooky collection of bizarrely experimental works that highlight how objects can perpetually evolve if given the right medium with which to thrive. Melding life sciences and pseudo-Frankenstein technology with a cutting-edge design aesthetic, Laarman has created quite an array of eye catching pieces.
Everyone talks about his aluminum-cast Bone Chair as being a revolutionary design incorporating a computer-derived algorithm with the mimicry of real human bone growth to create an optimization of "Mother Nature's underlying codes." Sleek and organic in composition, his series of furniture pieces embody biomimicry in action. Minimal use of materials and maximization of carefully exercised structural weight and stability all come together in one complete, aesthetically-pleasing and certainly tree-emulating package. One art and design aficionado has said of his designs,"It's as if a tree just grew out of the ground to keep you propped up."
While that's all well and good, it's his use of tiny glowing luciferase-infused mammalian ovary cells to create a living bioluminescent lamp that is especially unusual. The self-confessed science geek - who will be exhibiting his latest collection of works in New York City at Friedman Benda through April 10th - used a Dutch tissue culture lab specimen of Chinese hamster ovary cells to bestow his lamp with the type of pulsing illumination that is traditionally exhibited by jelly fish, certain bacteria and fire flies. Typically used in genetic studies for the development of recombinant protein therapeutics, his resulting "Half Life" lamp showcases 57 year old hamster cells in all of their swirling, earthy, glowing glory. Got the heeby-jeebies? Take comfort in the fact that Laarman's intentions are somewhat sound and eco-friendly, given that his ultimate goal is to use laboratories to grow future product designs with the very same cell culture process so that natural resources are preserved.
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