Feb 9, 2015 6:30 PM

Gallery: A Beautiful Wallpaper Made With Smallpox Vaccine

Vik Muniz
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The print, which looks like an oversized floral wall paper is actually made from liver cells that have been treated with a smallpox vaccine.
Vik Muniz
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Called *[Flowers](http://artofsavingalife.com/artists/vik-muniz/)* and created by [Vik Muniz](http://vikmuniz.net/) and [Tal Danino](http://www.taldanino.com/) this artwork was created to educate people about the power of vaccines.

Vik Muniz
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It builds off Muniz and Danino's prior collaboration called *Colonies*.
Vik Muniz
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Their process involves controlling the shape and movement of bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells, then photographing the results.

Vik Muniz
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The process starts by designing a shape, creating a rubber stamp of it, then applying a biological substrate to a petri dish.
Vik Muniz
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Living cells are added to the petri dish, thrive on the biological substrate, and are photographed for posterity.

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