In Self-Portrait #1: The Spider Within, Svenja Kratz explores the anxiety and vulnerability tied to genetic testing and the potential for inheriting serious medical conditions. Created in 2013 as part of a Fringe Catalyst project at The Edge in Queensland, this work reflects on her personal experience of genetic analysis to assess her risk for diseases prevalent in her family, such as breast and ovarian cancer.

The artwork comprises a life cast of the artist’s bust, with a spider emerging from the mouth cavity. The spider represents the latent fears surrounding genetic predispositions—conditions that may remain dormant yet carry the threat of future expression. The choice of a tarantula, an animal that evokes fear yet can also be seen as a potential pet and companion, mirrors the dual nature of these fears: the terror of a potential diagnosis and the psychological work of accepting and living with genetic risks.

Through this unsettling combination of elements, Self-Portrait #2 engages with the horror and intimacy of genetic vulnerability, raising questions about identity, health, and the emotional impact of biomedical advancements. The work ultimately invites viewers to consider the psychological complexity of genetic knowledge and the profound, often uneasy relationship we have with the latent aspects of our own biology.