Life Extended: Biology as Metaphor

Artist Debra Edgerton transforms microscopic biological forms into striking paintings that bridge science and contemporary art. In this lecture, she explores how biological relationships-mutualism, commensalism, competition, and parasitism – can illuminate structures of hierarchy and interdependence in human societies. Focusing on mutualism, Edgerton reflects on the role of African Americans in shaping the United States and the urgency of interdisciplinary art in today’s contested political climate.