Biography

Tal Danino is an interdisciplinary artist and scientist working at the frontier of synthetic biology. He engineers some of the smallest living systems—“programmable” bacteria—and transforms microorganisms such as bacteria and cancer cells into bioartworks using a wide range of media.

His work has been exhibited internationally at venues including Zürcher Gallery (New York), ArtJaws.com (Paris), Hyundai Motorstudio (Beijing), Liberty Science Center (New Jersey), Da Vinci Creative Biennial at Seoul Art Space Geumcheon (Korea), Vitenparken (Ås, Norway), Eyebeam (New York), Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Waterfall Mansion & Gallery (New York), Galerie Xippas (Paris), The High Museum (Atlanta), Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and many others.

Originally from Los Angeles, Tal earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, and completed postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a TED Fellow and has participated in artist residencies at Eyebeam, Seed, and Rhizome/New Museum’s 7x7. His work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, Nature, and WIRED. He is the author of Beautiful Bacteria (Rizzoli-Electa, 2024). Currently, he is an Associate Professor at Columbia University, where he directs the Synthetic Biological Systems Laboratory.


Art Inquires:

Soonhee Moon
taldaninoart@gmail.com