Agar Art: Living Color on a Petri Dish

Have you ever seen artwork made with living, growing microbes? Welcome to the world of agar art!

This unique medium is created by “painting” with microbes on agar, a gelatin-like substance that serves as food for microorganisms. Agar powder is mixed with sterilized water and nutrients in a Petri dish to form a transparent, semi-solid surface. Artists then use naturally pigmented microbes, like the red-hued bacteria, Serratia marcescens, or genetically modified microbes, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a species of yeast), to create vibrant designs. The result? Living artwork that breathes, grows and changes over time.

Alexander Fleming, best known for discovering penicillin, was one of the earliest pioneers of this medium. He created microbial paintings by growing pigmented bacteria in carefully placed patterns on agar plates. Using a wire lab tool called a loop, he “painted” scenes ranging from ballerinas to battlefields. His artistic eye helped him notice what others overlooked. In fact, it was his careful observation of mold killing nearby bacteria on a Petri dish that led to the discovery of penicillin.

Since 2016, the American Society for Microbiology’s annual Agar Art Contest has celebrated the beauty and diversity of the microbial world, showing that microbes are more than just scary, disease-causing agents. Each year, microbiologists, artists, students and kids from across the world submit artwork created with living microbes, resulting in more than 2,000 submissions to date. Entries are evaluated on creativity, design and presentation, centered around a unique annual theme. From “What Brings You Joy?” to “Microbiology in Space,” each year’s theme offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of science and art.

We invite you to explore this collection of living art from past contests. Scan the QR codes next to each piece to read more about the microbes used and the inspiration behind the artwork.

ASM Announces 2024 Agar Art Contest Winners

 

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) has announced the winners of the 10th annual Agar Art Contest, which drew a record-breaking 445 submissions from around the world. Since 2015, ASM’s Agar Art Contest has provided a platform for scientists and artists to showcase their creativity by using live microbes to “paint” images on agar, a gelatin-like substance that serves as food for microorganisms. This year's contest theme is "What Brings You Joy?” Participants were encouraged to express their happiest moments through the medium of agar. 

Petri Dish Jazz Club
Jeeyoung Lee

 

The Path Of Discovery
Elsa Fristot

Frenchie in Black
Jamisha D. Francis

 

Princess Siva
Vanina Kirova