Live Stem Cell Coat Killed Due to Rapid Growth

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has killed a living coat made of mouse stem cells. Billed as "Victimless Leather," the coat is part of the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibit, which explores the intersections between art and science.

Paula Antonelli, a senior curator at the museum told the New York Times that excessive growth had caused the coat to clog its own incubator with excess cells. In addition, one of its sleeves was falling off. Ms. Antonelli consulted with the coat's designers and then cut off the nutrient supply keeping the stem cells alive.

The decision to kill the coat amused one of its creators, Oron Catts, who said that the example of "life growing out of control" allowed the piece to regain some of its irony. The coat is intended to "raise questions about our exploitation of other living beings," and promote the curbing of excessive consumerism.

For Ms. Antonelli, at least, the piece achieved its goal. Ms. Antonelli says the jacket “started growing, growing, growing until it became too big. And [the artists] were back in Australia, so I had to make the decision to kill it. And you know what? I felt I could not make that decision. I’ve always been pro-choice and all of a sudden I’m here not sleeping at night about killing a coat...That thing was never alive before it was grown.”

She discussed her feelings about killing the exhibit in a televised interview here.