LO 09: Women and Non-binary Practitioners in Computational Art

Sputniko! is a Japanese/British Artist based in Tokyo. She creates film and multimedia installations which explore the social, cultural, and ethical implications of emerging technologies. She’s an Associate Professor of Design at Tokyo University of Arts. She gave a Ted Talk in TED 2019 and was selected as one of the Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum. One project of hers that I’m really intrigued by is “Red String of Fate – Tamaki’s Crush.” The red string of fate is a myth in which gods tie an invisible red string between soulmates. Sputniko! collaborated with scientists from NIAS to genetically engineer silkworms to spin the red string of fate by inserting genes that produce oxytocin (the social-bonding “love” hormone), and the genes of red-glowing coral into silkworm eggs. The film that accompanies the project centers around Tamaki, an aspiring genetic engineer, who makes her own red string of fate in the hopes of winning over another scientist, Sachihiko. She sews the red silk into her favorite scarf, but it’s so powerful that everyone starts to fall in love with her – everyone except Sachihiko.

https://sputniko.com/Red-Silk-of-Fate