Institut Teknologi Bandung

The success of this event was largely due to the efforts of the event chairperson, Beatrice Andreanna Wijaya (Microbiology, 2021). Beatrice revealed that preparations had been underway for 4 months. Since April, Beatrice and her team collected microbial cultures from the surrounding environment in order to acquire pure cultures, expanded the microbial palette, handled laboratory permits, prepared agar medium, and set up the necessary laboratory safety equipment.

In addition to being one of the pre-event activities for IMD, the event aimed to develop skills related to the field of study and introduce the intriguing world of microbiology, which is not yet widely explored by the public, or even by students. This event further demonstrated that art and science are inseparable.

Agar art, or Petri-dish art, is a form of art that utilizes microbes as producers of certain pigments or textures, which are then grown on agar media in a petri dish to create artistic patterns. The creation process involves several stages, including agar preparation, inoculation, incubation for 2-3 days until the art becomes visible, and preservation to ensure longevity.

Petri-dish art was first popularized by Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he created a mold medallion using the microbe Penicillium.

The event began with a presentation on Petri-dish art and the artistic side of microbiology by Syaiful Garibaldi, commonly known as Kak Tepu, the head of Lokus Foundation, and Nicole Prodjomaroeto from Microbiology 2021. The organizing team also demonstrated how to make homemade agar.

The event continued with an inoculation session, where participants created their own Petri-dish art. Throughout the process, participants were supervised and guided by assistants to ensure that procedures remained aseptic and safe. Following this, Kak Awok and Kak Andro from Lokus Foundation demonstrated preservation techniques using resin.

The event also included interactive games, a sharing session, and fun, insightful discussions, ensuring that participants could easily grasp the workshop activities.
To grow microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi, a growth medium like agar is required. There are various types of agar, including general agar such as Nutrient Agar (NA), and specific agar such as Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) agar. In this workshop, NA and Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB) agar were used.

“This event serves as an example to the general public and academics that the field of microbiology can also produce art through daily activities in unexpected and unique ways compared to other fields of study,” said Beatrice.

The Petri-dish art workshop attracted participants from various faculties and institutions, including students from ITB, Unisba, Telkom University, high school students, and even ITB exchange students from Germany who was enthusiastic about joining the event.

The conclusion of the workshop marked the start of the IMD main event, which will take place on September 21-22, 2024, at the Aula Timur and IPTEKS Auditorium, CC Timur ITB. IMD will feature a variety of events, including exhibitions, festivals, innovative booths, and symposiums with international speakers discussing all things about microbiology. Complete event information can be accessed via Instagram @imd.itb or the website imd24.itb.id.

Beatrice hopes that the workshop and IMD series will provide participants with experiences that will be memorable and beneficial.

Reporter: Dina Avanza Mardiana (Microbiology, 2022)
Translator: Anggi Nurdiani (Management, 2024)
Editor: Hanifa Juliana (Urban and Regional Planning, 2020)