Dolly (2021) engages with the groundbreaking scientific achievement of cloning, inspired by the iconic case of Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, born in 1996. Through this piece, Tan Mu delves into the intricate interplay between biology and technology, where Dolly’s existence as a genetic replica of another ewe prompts profound questions about identity, individuality, and the essence of life itself. In her visual interpretation, Tan Mu extends the discourse on cloning beyond its biological framework, inviting viewers to contemplate the philosophical and ethical dimensions of replication and the redefinition of life. The painting captures the tension between natural processes and human-engineered intervention, evoking themes of ethics, identity, and the future possibilities of genetic manipulation in humans. As humanity stands on the brink of unprecedented genetic frontiers, Dolly serves as a poignant meditation on the evolving roles of science, technology, and humanity in a world increasingly shaped by engineered possibilities.

Q: What inspired the creation of Dolly, and how does this work connect to your personal experience?

Tan Mu: Dolly was inspired by the breakthrough in cloning technology, particularly the birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996. I was only five years old at the time, and while my memory of the event is vague, it left a lasting impression on me. Dolly became both a scientific milestone and a strange symbol within my childhood memory. I remember being fascinated by the idea of cloning and feeling curious and confused about how such a process could exist. That early sense of wonder stayed with me and later shaped my interest in the principles behind life, replication, and technological intervention. For me, Dolly represents both a collective memory from that period and a personal moment of awakening. It was one of the first times I began to question how life is constructed and where the boundaries of technology might lie.

Q: How did you approach the blurred visual effect in Dolly, and what does it represent?

Tan Mu: The blurred effect functions as a visual metaphor for memory. When I revisited the story of Dolly years later, I realized that the image I held in my mind did not fully match historical documentation. That gap between memory and reality fascinated me. I wanted to capture that ambiguity in the painting. The blur reflects the instability of memory and the space between fact and imagination. It also mirrors the conceptual complexity of cloning itself. As a cloned being, Dolly exists in a state that challenges traditional ideas of originality and identity. The blurred image expresses this tension, hovering between clarity and uncertainty, reality and construction.

Q: In Dolly, you explore the relationship between life, technology, and consciousness. Could you expand on these ideas?

Tan Mu: While working on Dolly, I was not only thinking about cloning as a technology, but also about the deeper structure of life and the relationship between the body and consciousness. Dolly’s existence led me to reflect on processes such as cell division, replication, and the logic that governs life itself. Whether human or animal, we share the same fundamental biological principles. From this perspective, life can be understood as a complex system, with the body functioning as hardware and consciousness as software.

In my painting, I did not simply depict cellular forms. I also explored how consciousness, memory, and creativity emerge and circulate through the body by using imagery related to neurons and light. This approach allowed me to think about how humans interact with the world, how internal systems connect with external reality, and how biological structures give rise to thought and perception. These ideas may be abstract, but they reflect my ongoing effort to understand the essence of life and what it means to exist as a conscious being.

Q: You mentioned that Dolly is connected to your earlier work IVF (2020). How do these two works relate to each other?

Tan Mu: Dolly and IVF are closely connected, as both works examine the intersection of technology and life. While in vitro fertilization and cloning operate in different ways, they share a common ambition: to intervene in the process of life through scientific means. In IVF, I focused on the origin of life and the moment when technology participates in its creation at the cellular level. Dolly continues this exploration by addressing replication and the question of identity.

Together, the two works form a dialogue. IVF invites viewers to reconsider how life begins, while Dolly challenges ideas of uniqueness and individuality. Both raise ethical and philosophical questions about how technology reshapes our understanding of life, nature, and the future. Through these paired explorations, I reflect on humanity’s evolving role between scientific advancement and natural processes.