Ex-Utero Project Combines Art and Science to Study Regenerative Medicine

On a sunny spring day at Penn State, Professor Cristin Millett of the College of Arts and Architecture’s School of Visual Arts performed a striking installation that involved inserting a catheter needle into the umbilical vein of a placenta. The event took place in the university’s art studio space, where the placenta—obtained from a licensed donor and stored under regulated conditions—was prepared for the demonstration.

Millett’s work was part of a larger exhibition that explored the intersection of biology and visual art. The needle insertion was carried out under the university’s health and safety protocols, with the procedure documented by the studio’s recording team. The piece was intended to provoke reflection on the physicality of life and the boundaries between medical practice and artistic expression.

The university confirmed that all necessary permissions and ethical approvals were secured before the installation. While the event attracted interest from both the arts and medical communities, it was presented as a controlled, educational demonstration rather than a clinical procedure. The installation concluded with a brief discussion on the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in contemporary art.