Embryonic Sway

Jamie-Lee Girodat attempts to navigate the uncertainties within female autonomy and family genetics, and wishes to question the notion of self in relation to rapidly advancing reproductive technologies. With the developments of in vitro fertilization, embryo selection, and genetic editing, the questions of if, when, and how to have children can be both liberating and constraining. Choosing to use genetic engineering has benefits, including the potential to prevent disease and prolong life expectancy. But it also generates the question of what it means to be a living organism. Through printmaking and animation, Girodat explores the evolution of genetics and fertility, playing with tensions of unease and intrigue arising from changing biotechnological environments.