Abstract:

From the aspect of art history, , altough plastic approaches change according to their periods, portraits and busts are works which have indicators that reflects the person’s physical characteristics and state of mind and shows us his/her social class. It is also seen that the respond of these indicators to the question ‘who is the person ’ is restricted. Because identity is a phenomenon that is determined not only through physical appearance, state of mind and social class but also through the person’s thoughts and behaviors. Genetic studies, which have progressed rapidly from the mid of 20th century to these days, have found out that DNA carries the data of the organism. In 1978, DNA was discovered as a genetic fingerprint. The studies on DNA sequencing are the important steps of starting Genom Project, which has the goal of determining the human organism. The identity identification via DNA with these studies on DNA have affected the artists’ portrait and bust approaches, conceptional and indicative works have been done in laboratory environment and/or using technology. In these paper, DNA-identity relationship is going to be examined through portrait/bust works of Kevin Clarke, Mark Quinn and Heather Dewey-Hagborg.

Keywords: