Making smart art with superintelligent slime mould

"We're in an era where the fields of biology and technology are becoming increasingly intertwined -- where does that leave artists?" slime mould artist Heather Barnett asks The Conference in Malmo.

Barnett is an artist who has brought biology into her work in a way that has in fact benefitted science by bringing new perspectives to natural phenomena -- but she is far from being the first or only artist to do this. Artists' fascination with biology has produced astounding results throughout history. She points to the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and his designs of mechanical wings, which were far beyond what the technology of the time could achieve. More recently there have been others like Brandon Ballengée a botanist and artist who studies deformed art and Ren Ri who has created works using beehives. 

By: Katie Collins,