Bridging the gap with bacterial art

Living art made with bacteria is gaining global attention, spreading from laboratories into the public domain: from school STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) events to art galleries, museums, community labs, and ultimately to the studios of microbial artists. Bacterial art is a synthesis of science and art that can lead to developments in both fields. Through the ‘universal language of art’, many social and preconceived ideas—including abstract scientific concepts—can be challenged and brought to the public attention in a unique way. By using bacteria to create publicly accessible art pieces, the barriers between humans and microbes can be lessened, and the artificial separation of the fields of science and art may be brought one step closer. Here, we document the history, impact, and current moment in the field of microbiologically inspired art for the benefit of educators, students, and the interested public. We provide a comprehensive historical background and examples of ancient bacterial art from cave paintings to uses in modern synthetic biology, a simple protocol for conducting bacterial art in a safe and responsible manner, a discussion of the artificial separation of science and art, and the future implications of art made from living microbes.