Artist Residency Programs
The Bio Art Lab, located in the heart of the Chelsea gallery district, houses microscopes for photo and video; skeletons; specimen and slide collections; a herbarium; and an aquarium, as well as a library.
From the Laboratory to the Studio: Interdisciplinary Practices in Bio Art
From anatomical studies to landscape painting to the biomorphism of surrealism, the biological realm has historically provided a significant resource for artists. More recently, bio art has become a term referring to intersecting domains of the biological sciences and their incorporation into the visual arts. Of particular importance in bio art is to summon awareness of the ways in which advancing biotechnologies alter social, ethical and cultural values in society. This interdisciplinary residency will take place in the SVA Bio Art Laboratory located in New York City's Chelsea gallery district.
The SVA Bio Art Lab is a fusion of a 19th-century cabinet of curiosities with a state-of-the-art biotechnology laboratory, housing specimen collections, aquariums, a variety of microscopes, and an art and science library. In this residency, students will be introduced to the emerging field of biological arts through hands-on laboratory practices and discussions. Demonstrations include microscopic imaging, growing 2D and 3D biomaterials, such as fungi and bacterial cellulose, among others. Discussion topics range from bioethics and genetic manipulation to climate change and sustainability.
Each resident has a private studio space and access to various sculpture and printing facilities in the department. The residency culminates in a public exhibition. Students may work in any media, including the performing arts. The program is led by artist Suzanne Anker, chair of the BFA Fine Arts Department, and Tarah Rhoda, manager of the Bio Art Laboratory. Faculty and former speakers include artists, scientists and museum professionals such as Heather Dewey-Hagborg, Oron Catts, Thyrza Goodeve and François-Joseph Lapointe. Note: A portfolio is required for review and acceptance to this program. Residents who wish to borrow equipment from the Fine Arts Digital Lab are required to provide proof of insurance with rental endorsement, listing SVA as a co-insured. Participants will be held responsible for payment of any loss, theft or damage incurred to the equipment. SVA provides information on affordable insurance plans. This residency is graded on a pass/fail system. A Pass (P) will be awarded for its successful completion. This course is held on campus at SVA.Facility and Equipment Details
Please visit the Bio Art Lab page for a full list of lab facilities.
iMac Workstations with the following software
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Modo
- Max/MSP/Jitter
- Processing
- Arduino IDE
Lab Peripherals
- Color laser printers
- Epson 1000XL Flatbed Scanner
- Wacom Cintiq Monitor
Photography and Video Equipment
- Mirrorless and DSLR Cameras
- SONY Camcorders
- Fluid head video tripods
- 3-Way head photo tripods
- Continuous lights for photo and video
- Video projectors
Large format photo printing*
- Epson 9900, 7880, and 4880 printers capable of printing up to 44” wide.
*Print jobs are processed by our on-staff technician on a pay-per-print basis.
Vinyl Plotter
- Roland Vinyl Printer/Cutter
- Roland UV Flatbed printer
CNC (computer numerical control) Room Machine List
- Epilog Laser Cutter
- ShopBot CNC Router
- Torchmate 3 CNC plasma cutter
- Rapid prototype machine Z - Printer 660
- Rapid prototype machine F370
- Ultimaker 3D Printer
- Bambu Labs 3D Printer
Software
- CAD and Organic modeling programs
- Zbrush
- Maya
- Mastercam CAM programs
- Vcarve pro
Machine Hand Tools
- Metabo grinder x 5
- Bosch Pneumatic Staple gun x 2
- Bosch Pneumatic Brad gun x 2
- Festool cordless drill x 16
- Festool replacement cordless batt. X 10
- Festool eccentric sander x 6
- Bosch belt sander x 1
- Festool jigsaw x 9
- Porta cable palm sander x 10
- Metabo heat gun x 8
- Festool rotex sander x 5
- Festool vacuum x 6
- Festool rotary sander x 1
- Festool planer x 1
- Festool triangular sander x 1
- Milwaukee Sawzall x 1
- Weller Soldering Gun x 3
- Festool Circular Saw x 2
- Festool Router x 2
- Metabo Grinder x 5
- Die Grinder x 7
- Fein oscillating tool x 2
- Safety equipment
- Assorted hand tools
- Assorted Measuring tools
Wood Shop
Drilling
- Delta drill press small
- Jet drill press large
Cutting
- Laguna 24" Band Saw
- Laguna 14" Band Saw
- Powermatic 12" Planer
- Powermatic 8" Joiner
- Dewalt sliding compound saws
- Milwaukee panel saw
- Saw Stop table saw, safest saw on the market
Sanding
- Baileigh 6" belt and 12" disc sander
- Jet spindle sander
Metal Shop
Cutting Metal
- 1 Makita chopsaws
- Baileigh horizontal band saw
- Baileigh hydraulic shear
- B2 Beverly shear
- Esab Plasma Cutter
Welding Metal
- 1 Lincoln Tig Welders
- 3 Esab Mig Welders
Sanding/ finishing metal
- Grizzly Belt/disc Sander
- Grizzly Knife Buffer/grinder
- Baldor Grinder
- Baldor Buffer
- Econoline Sandblaster
Drilling/cutting metal
- Baileigh drillpress
- Enco metal lathe
- Whitney Punch
Shaping and forming of metal
- Hossfeld Bender
- Baileigh roller 48"
- Baileigh sheet metal brake
- Pexto 18" roller
- 2 Anvils and various jigs/forming tool
Ceramics Shop
- 2 Skutt brand electric Kilns, Cone 5 and Cone 10, approx. 27" across x 24" deep
- 4-Brent brand Potters Wheels, Model B
- 1-North Star brand Slab Roller, Big Blue Model
- 1-North Star Extruder, Standard model
- 1 3D Potter
- 1 Large Wasp Ceramic 3D Printer
