Painting with Natural Selection

Painting with Natural Selection is an interactive installation that uses evolution and scientific experimentation to create an artistic experience. Painting is the second phase of a larger art and science project that explores the relationship between evolution and reproduction. Phase I was building custom software that simulates virtual organisms growing, reproducing and evolving - Evorepro. Evorepro was funded by a Science Education Partnership Award led by Dr. John A. Pollock at Duquesne University. Painting was funded by a Spark Award from the Sprout Fund. In Painting, kids influence the evolution of simulated bacteria by changing their virtual environment. The experience allows kids to get creative right away as they develop an intuitive understanding of the ebb and flow of evolutionary processes. The virtual organisms respond and evolve in real-time creating a visceral connection between the individual and their impact in the virtual world that leads to an awareness of our footprint in our real world and wonder at life's adaptability.