LIFEWEAVE: WHEN DNA BECOMES TEXTILE ART. THE INNOVATIVE STARTUP FOUNDED BY EMILIO VAVARELLA TRANSFORMS THE HUMAN GENOME INTO UNIQUE TAPESTRIES
| by Susanna Cati |
Transforming the most personal data – the genome – into works of art: this is the mission of Lifeweave, an innovative company founded and managed by artists, positioned at the intersection of genomics and textile craftsmanship. The company has recently launched a world-unique service: transforming human DNA into Jacquard-woven works of art, creating deeply personal, tangible artifacts designed to last over time.
DNA sequencing is performed at Broad Clinical Labs, affiliated with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, while all collected data is securely stored on Terra.bio, a leading platform for biomedical data management. Completing the process is proprietary software developed by Lifeweave, which serves as a bridge between art, science, and technology.
A lasting work of art, designed to be used, displayed, gifted, and passed down. In an era dominated by fleeting images, mass-produced objects, and exclusively digital experiences, a project emerges that refocuses attention on materiality, uniqueness, and memory: Lifeweave
Founded by Emilio Vavarella, an Italian-American artist and researcher, the company transforms human DNA into textile works of art by combining advanced genomics, Jacquard craftsmanship, and personalized design.
An artistic and technological endeavor, yet deeply human: Lifeweave proposes a new way of understanding identity and personal legacy by translating individual genetic material into unique, tangible tapestries meant to be lived with, displayed, gifted, and handed down through generations.
An artist between science and technology, founder and CEO of Lifeweave, Emilio Vavarella holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and is currently an Assistant Professor of Media and Film Studies at Skidmore College. He was also the eighth Artist in Residence at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where the inspiration behind Lifeweave was born.
His artistic projects, often situated at the intersection of technology, biology, and visual culture, have been exhibited at prestigious international institutions including the Venice Biennale, the MAXXI Museum in Rome, the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Photographers’ Gallery in London, KANAL – Centre Pompidou in Brussels, and the Museu de Ciències Naturals in Barcelona. His work has been reviewed and discussed by international publications such as Artforum, Wired, HuffPost, and Mashable.
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