“Cellular Portrait” is an innovative bioartistic concept developed by the author that involves the extraction of cells from an individual and their incorporation into the creation of a biologically personalized artwork. The project draws inspiration from the emergence of personalized medicine, where genomic and physiological information is used to tailor therapeutic approaches to each patient. By collaborating with living entities that originate from the subject’s own biology, the work introduces a biopoetic dimension into the creative process, highlighting the biological nature of the portrayed individual while establishing a deeper connection between identity, embodiment, and representation.

The concept is introduced through the author’s “Cellular Self-Portrait”, created using his own blood cells, which were imaged through scanning electron microscopy at the Research Center for Microscopic Structures of the University of Costa Rica, generating the source imagery from which the final artwork was composed using digital media. The resulting work explores the coexistence of multiple facets of the self and the tensions that emerge between conscious and unconscious dimensions of human experience. Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung’s concept of the “shadow”, the piece reflects on personal integration. As the work unfolded, it revealed an unexpected insight to the author: that the apparent chaos generated by these inner contradictions may be softened through experience and maturity, as fragmented aspects of the self gradually converge into a more integrated and conscious being. Finally, specific music was created to accompany the work, extending its narrative into the audiovisual realm.