# Bacterial Art Installations Anicka Yi's 'Life Is Cheap' Exhibit is Made from Living Bacteria By Joey Haar | Published 2017-04-10 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/life-is-cheap References: [wired](https://www.wired.com/2017/04/anicka-yi-sweat-bacteria-art/) & [guggenheim.org](https://www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/the-hugo-boss-prize-2016) Art is almost always a form of death — even so-called still life paintings depict things that aren't alive themselves — yet Anicka Yi's 'Life Is Cheap' exhibit subverts such a concept to offer truly vivacious works. Yi's exhibit, which is on display at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, is made entirely from [still-living material such as bacteria](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mycelium-muse). 'Life Is Cheap' is both [visual and olfactory](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/out-of-orifice). The exhibit is intentionally smelly, as Yi worked with forensic scientists and Parisian perfumers to amplify the scents from her biological samples (samples that derive from sources as diverse as a flower or an armpit.) She then works with biologists to [encase and sustain the live bacteria](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/picoplanktonics) that create these smells in plexiglass, letting spectators see what they can smell. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.3/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 43% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Living Art Installations:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the integration of living organisms in art installations to create truly unique and interactive experiences. - **Collaboration Between Art and Science:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Foster collaborations between artists and scientists to push the boundaries of art and explore new ways of engaging the senses. - **Sensory-based Exhibitions:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop sensory-based exhibitions that immerse viewers in a multi-dimensional experience, combining visual and olfactory elements. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Art and Design:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate biological components into traditional art forms, opening up new avenues for artistic expression. - **Science and Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Merge scientific advancements with artistic creations to create innovative installations and experiences. - **Perfume and Fragrance:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with artists to create unique scents and fragrances that enhance artistic experiences and engage multiple senses. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Biology-Inspired Porcelain Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shiyuan-xu.md) - [Organic Light Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lapso.md) - [Thought-Provoking Interactive Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/antibodies-installation.md) - [Scientifically-Accurate Glass Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-microbiology.md) - [Probiotic Sustainable Structures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alive.md) - [Blooming Clustered Art Forms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/structural-botany.md) - [Medicine-Inspired Artful Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/something-for-the-pain.md) - [Biomaterial Color-Changing Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sensibiom-2.md) - [Fungi-Inspired Multidisciplinary Art Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-void.md)