S Y M B I O T I C A

We inhabit three containers: skin, clothing and buildings. We configure the design of our dress and shelter – we cut our coat to suit our cloth - but we are born in our skin.
In essence, skin grows and changes with the individual, deciding how the garment will ‘grow’ depending on the growth of the wearer.


“An artistic laboratory dedicated to the research, learning and critique of life sciences”

SymbioticA is an artistic laboratory within the School of Anatomy and Human Biology at The University of Western Australia. It is dedicated to the research, learning and critique of life sciences. It is the first research laboratory of its kind, in that it enables artists to engage in wet biology practices in a biological science department. SymbioticA hosts residents, runs workshops, produces exhibitions and organises symposiums as part of the core activities.

SymbioticA was established to provide a situation where interdisciplinary research and other knowledge and concept generating activities can take place. SymbioticA offers a new means of artistic inquiry, one in which artists actively use the tools and technologies of science - not just to comment about them - but also to explore their possibilities. It also provides an opportunity for researchers to pursue curiosity-based explorations free of the demands and constraints associated with the current culture of scientific research while still complying with regulations.