Art in Agar

“Works of art with living bacteria,” this is the motto of the Agar Art contest, a project that the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has been carrying out annually for the past 5 years. This society was founded in 1899 with the mission of promoting and advancing microbial sciences. The initial idea of the contest was that, just as nature has inspired art throughout history, why couldn’t microbiology become another source of inspiration. In this way, it aimed to bring together scientists and the public interested in science with microbiology and, in addition, contribute to eliminating the prejudices that society has about bacteria and viruses.

“The goal of Agar Art is to provide a space for the creativity of ASM’s scientific members and to highlight the beauty and diversity of the microbial world,” commented Katherine Lontok, Public Outreach Manager of ASM, during the last edition of the contest. “Microbes, like bacteria and viruses, are often seen in a negative light due to their association with disease, but many of them are not only very beautiful, but are also essential for our world.”

The rules of the contest are simple: all submitted works must be created using living microbes that grow on patterns painted in agar. They must be presented on a petri dish, thus composing the figure that the author chooses. The works can be observed with the naked eye, without the need for a microscope. Scientists, amateurs, and even two children’s categories can participate. Winners are chosen based on creativity, originality, and quality of the artwork’s design, as well as the scientific accuracy of the descriptions and their ability to reach the general public. There are 4 contest categories: general, public-selected, under 13 years old, and under 10. In 2019, 347 works were submitted from 43 countries.

During the 5 editions, the “bioartists” created incredible works. Reproductions of artworks such as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or Monet’s Water Lilies, representations of constellations, animals, landscapes, city views like that of Florence, portraits like that of Barack Obama, and even a huge volcano were presented.

The 2020 edition is underway, and starting November 10, voting for the public prize can begin on the association’s Facebook page.