Epithelial Cells (2024) depicts human epithelial cells growing in a dish. The cells have been clonally labeled, meaning cells of the same color are descendants of a single cell at the time of labeling. This scientific approach helps quantify cell proliferation and reveals how proliferative potential is passed from stem cells to their differentiated daughter cells. This work encapsulates the intricate convergence of biology and technology, reflecting our socio-technological journey in the era of the Anthropocene.

The vivid colors and dynamic forms in the painting symbolize the rapid advancements in biotechnology and their implications for human life and society. By translating the microscopic beauty of epithelial cells into a large-scale oil painting, Tan Mu invites viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of life, both at the cellular level and on a global scale.

Q: How did you come to choose epithelial cells as the subject for this work? What drew you to this particular aspect of cell biology?

Tan Mu: This work emerges from my long-standing fascination with the microscopic world and my sustained interest in breakthrough technologies that expand how we understand life. In recent biological research, scientists can label individual cells with specific colors, allowing them to trace how a single cell divides, differentiates, and forms clonal populations over time. By analyzing the size, distribution, and behavior of these color coded cell groups, researchers are able to study lineage development and tumor formation with unprecedented clarity. This process immediately resonated with my earlier work Chromosomes (2022), which also reflects on genetic structure and cellular information.

What drew me to epithelial cells specifically is their essential role within the body. They form tightly packed layers that act as interfaces between internal and external environments, serving protective, sensory, and secretory functions. These cells exist at boundaries, constantly negotiating exchange and protection. This quality strongly connects to Julien Offray de La Mettrie’s idea in Man a Machine, in which the human body is understood as a complex and highly organized system. Whether I depict neurons, epithelial tissues, embryonic cells, or technological components, I am consistently drawn to the fundamental units that make up larger systems. These biological elements function much like the technological components I paint elsewhere, reinforcing my ongoing exploration of the parallel structures of biology and technology.

Q: Do you see this painting as part of a larger narrative or dialogue about biotechnology and its ethical or social implications?

Tan Mu: Yes, this painting is very much part of a broader dialogue about biotechnology and its ethical and social consequences. Works such as Epithelial Cells (2024), IVF (2020), Zygote (2021), and Embryo (2022) all reflect my continued interest in how genes and cells can be visualized, decoded, and potentially manipulated. On one level, these technologies represent extraordinary progress in medical research and disease prevention. On another level, they introduce profound ethical questions.

As genetic decoding and editing technologies advance, we are forced to confront difficult issues. How far should human intervention go. Who has access to these technologies. Could their misuse deepen global inequalities or redefine concepts of life itself. These tensions between innovation and responsibility are central to my practice. By translating scientific imagery into painting, I aim to create a space where these questions can be felt as much as they are understood, encouraging viewers to reflect on both the promise and the consequences of biotechnological power.

Q: The vibrant colors and gem-like structures are striking. Do these visual qualities hold any particular meaning or intention for you?

Tan Mu: I have always been drawn to gemstones and mineral structures, and their saturated colors and internal complexity have strongly shaped my sensitivity to color. When I first encountered laboratory images of epithelial cells stained for scientific analysis, I was immediately captivated by their visual richness. These images possess a dual nature. They are aesthetically beautiful while simultaneously encoding precise biological information.

Each vividly colored cluster represents a group of cells derived from the same lineage, made visible through advanced labeling techniques. I find it fascinating that scientific staining processes closely parallel the logic of painting. In my own work, variations within a single color emerge through pigment mixtures that share the same origin but differ in proportion. This connection between scientific visualization and painterly method reinforces the idea that both disciplines rely on precision, interpretation, and creativity. The gem-like appearance of the cells allows them to function as carriers of information while also evoking a sense of wonder and vitality.

Q: How did you approach the translation of microscopic imagery into a large-scale oil painting? Were there any specific challenges or inspirations during the process?

Tan Mu: Translating microscopic imagery into a large-scale oil painting requires a careful balance between fidelity and transformation. One challenge lies in preserving the structural clarity of the scientific image while allowing painting to introduce emotional and conceptual depth. My goal was not to replicate the laboratory image exactly, but to reframe it through the language of painting.

In enlarging epithelial cells to this scale, I emphasized dynamic forms, saturated color fields, and layered textures that extend beyond purely scientific representation. For the background, I incorporated my signature use of dots, a technique that appears throughout my practice. These dots can be read as biological particles, data points, or even celestial bodies, suggesting that information flows across scales from the microscopic to the cosmic. Through this approach, I invite viewers to consider how life, data, and structure repeat across different dimensions. Painting allows these scientific images to move beyond technical explanation, opening a space for emotional engagement and reflection on the broader implications of biological knowledge.