CoLabs Chiang Mai

Bioart Wet-Workshop: Hybrid DNA Isolation

PHOTODUMP

17 FEBRUARY 2026

18:00 - 21:00 | Pa Rang Cafe & Art Stay

We kicked off the Chiang Mai Co-Labs with a proper mess. Adam Zaretsky rolled in to lead a "Hybrid DNA Isolation" workshop. The goal wasn't just to follow a protocol, but to get our hands wet and actually touch the "stuff of life" in a non-sterile, DIY setting. Participants showed up with all sorts of "beings" and samples—bits of plants, spit, and whatever else had DNA in it.

The Ritual & The Process

The session didn't start with a lecture; it started with a bagpipe performance by [Artist Name], setting an ambient for the biological disruption to follow. We moved back to the "lab" (the cafe tables) to begin the butchery of samples.

1. The Sacrifice & Maceration

We hacked up our DNA samples—fruit, local plants, and "other beings"—discussing the boundary of the living. A key debate emerged: Do dead cells have DNA? (Note: Yes, DNA is a stable molecule that persists after death, but it begins to fragment as enzymes break it down—this is why we can sequence mammoths, but fresh samples give "longer" strings of code). We also dove into the messy ethics of research on live animals and the "right" to manipulate life.

2. The Blender Chanting (Cell Lysis)

We threw everything into the blender. To bridge the gap between spirit and science, we chanted the names of the samples while spinning.

The Science: We added Salt (Sodium Chloride). In bio-terms, this is to neutralize the negative charge of the DNA phosphate backbone, helping the strands clump together later.

The Chaos: The blender started smoking. The "DNA Cocktail" was officially cooked.

3. The Filtration Ritual

We filtered the smoking slurry through white cloth, ritually squeezing the liquid to get every drop of potential DNA out of the fibers.

4. The Emulsion (Membrane Disruption)

Next, we added Liquid Soap.

The Science: This is Cell Lysis. The soap breaks down the lipid (fatty) membranes of the cells and nuclei. Since cell membranes are basically grease, the soap dissolves them, releasing the DNA into the salty water. Is this "New Media"? How do we name the unnamable forces we are now holding in a plastic cup?

5. The Precipitation (Making the Invisible Visible)

At the next station, we added Baking Soda (to maintain pH) or Contact Lens Solution (which contains Protease enzymes to chew up the proteins that keep DNA tangled).

Then came the "Holy Ghost" moment: adding chilled Alcohol (Ethanol or Gin).

The Science: DNA is insoluble in high-concentration alcohol. When the cold ethanol hits the mixture, the DNA precipitates out of the solution, forming that ghostly, white, snotty cloud.

Extraction: We used toothpicks to "spool" the DNA, transferring the raw code of our samples into new containers. Ready for BioArt.

6. The Thai Massage Torture Station (Horizontal Gene Transfer)

We ended with a discussion on Gene Transfer. How do we get this extracted code into us? We explored the "Torture Station," using Thai Massage techniques as a metaphor for:

Lipofection: Using fat to slip DNA through cell walls.

Electroporation: Using electricity to shock holes into membranes.

Ballistics/Force: Physically pushing the "foreign" code into the host.

Status:

The DNA is isolated. The community is contaminated. The Co-Lab is officially open.

Chiang Mai Anarchist Zine Fair: Jamming

[1]

Chiang Mai Anarchist Zine Fair February 20 & 21, 2026 2:00 - 8:00 PM Red Bookcase Library (Kanalab 2563) Chiang Mai, Thailand

Bioart Wet-Workshop: Hybrid DNA Isolation at Chang Moi

[2] Street BioArt workshop, follow-up from Adam's earlier session.

Biofuture Creative Meetup

PHOTODUMP