Artist Eduardo Kac coming to Duke

Eduardo Kac, 49, has spent more than 30 years creating some of the most innovative and unusual telecommunication and transgenic pieces to hit the art world.

One example: "Edunia," a live petunia which Kac infused with his own blood. The result is a pink flower with blood-red veins and is an example of bio-art, a Kac-created method of using biological technology to create or enhance works of art.

Kac will appear at Duke Oct. 19-20 as part of the university's Visiting Artist Lecture Series. He recently spoke with Thea Neal from Duke's news office. 

You currently live in Chicago, but have traveled extensively around the world. Where did you grow up and what parts of the world have influenced you?

Raised by Polish parents, I was born in Rio de Janeiro, but I spent most of my adult life in Chicago. I have lived in Paris. My Ph.D. is from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom, so I don't really have a specific place I'm from. My native places are at the airport.

How is Chicago impacting your art? How have your recent visits across the world impacted your art?

I don't really have influences, but I am really curious. I'm interested in everything. I'm always interested in learning, discovering new things, new movies, artwork, artists, comics, new everything. I'm very curious about the world, cultures, languages.I remain open to dialogue, to discovering things I haven't seen before, heard before, have learned about before. I think I am stimulated by this ongoing sense of travel and discovery. That stimulates me. It isn't a question of influence, it's a question of stimulation. Ongoing travel and this curiosity that I have.

What drew you to bio-art?

Bio-art had not existed as such prior to my work. I created the term in 1997. The field of media arts in the '90s was dominated by digital media, and while I felt digital media was extremely important, we were about to move into the 21st century. We would experience cultural changes, and those cultural changes would be brought about by revolutions in biology that would create new social relationships, images of the human, new life forms. I decided then that it was important to break away from the mainstream digital practice and invent a new type of art called bio-art.

When you aren't making art, what are your hobbies?

I read comics and graphic novels. I read them basically every day if I can. I don't have favorites, but I am perpetually curious. I follow different developments in different countries. Last night I read the third volume of a French series called "ghost money." The series itself, the fictional narrative, happens all over the world. The story revolves around different parts of the world, but the story is in Dubai. The lead character is this 28-year-old woman, and the story is everything that happens around her life. Beautifully drawn, beautifully printed.  

 Schools are facing a ton of arts cuts these days. How do you suggest students follow their arts dreams if there isn't the funding?

The first thing that comes to mind is to identify problems. The problems impose themselves. It doesn't take a lot of effort to understand what the problems are. What might not come to mind right away is to not list the problems, but list the solutions. That's one exercise the students can engage in. Solutions never materialize overnight. So my next recommendation is to diligently work toward implementing those solutions. If every day you can take a bigger step in that direction, it's a positive thing to do. The artist must accomplish that and succeed in that. There are things that are absolutely indispensable — patience and perseverance. 

Kac will give a public lecture Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Nasher Museum of Art.