DNAid was a series of public art projects addressing the implications of today’s genetic research on society’s future. The initiative launched with artist-designed deli coffee cups, which featured cartoons and text regarding the ethical implications of genetic engineering.

The cups, distributed throughout all five boroughs in various coffee shops and bodegas, infiltrated the morning rituals of many New York residents and effectively encouraged public awareness of genetic research: “Since Dolly [the sheep] was cloned, artists haven’t really examined how altering the human genome will affect our culture,” Creative Time director Anne Pasternak remarked. “We were looking for a way to convey complex information, spark debate, and do it with humor.”

Photograph by Robert Glasgow

Multiple Artists

DNAid: Deli Cups

New York City

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