Top 10 Microbial Artists: From Labs to Galleries

Microbial art has grown from a laboratory curiosity into a recognized art form displayed in galleries, online exhibits, and international competitions. At its heart is the creative use of bacteria, fungi, and even genetically modified microbes to produce stunning, living designs on agar plates. Here are ten incredible artists and innovators who are redefining what it means to “paint” with life itself.

1. Alexander Fleming – The accidental founder of microbial art, he painted ballerinas and soldiers with pigmented bacteria while pioneering penicillin.
2. Joanne Dungo – Winner of the American Society for Microbiology’s (ASM) Agar Art Contest with “The Gardener,” featuring vibrant bacterial colors.
3. Melanie Sullivan – Known for detailed, multi-colored bacterial landscapes, showcasing artistic precision in the lab.
4. Ana Tsitsishvili – Fuses microbiology and fine art, creating abstract bacterial patterns inspired by nature.
5. Maria Eugenia Inda – Combines bioluminescent bacteria and genetic engineering for glowing artworks.
6. Rositsa Tashkova – Recognized for holiday-themed agar art, like Christmas trees grown from colorful microbes.
7. Erin Searcy – Uses safe lab strains to create accessible educational art, teaching kids about microbiology.
8. Hunter Cole – Creates glowing, time-lapse microbial art, bridging photography, science, and bioethics.
9. Nina Sellars – Works in bio-art installations, exploring the boundaries of living art beyond agar plates.
10. The ASM Agar Art Community – Thousands of scientists worldwide who transform lab work into shared artistic expression.