Bacterial Selfies by Olivia Vankuiken

Olivia Vankuiken, a high school senior in New Jersey, submitted a series of unique self portraits she made by cultivating her own bacteria in petri dishes and scanning them. The young artist took bacteria from different parts of her body to create a physical representation of herself. The images are similar to that of a fingerprint, said Olivia. “Alone a fingerprint can not tell you anything about the appearance of a person, yet when put in context, they are the only truly unique exterior human characteristic.” Each of the patterns Olivia has created with her own bacteria represent images that are completely distinct to her. – Sarah Iannone

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