Modern Home + Living

DNA-11 offers the world’s hippest form of personalized artwork created through forensic measures based on the concept of human individuality.

Nazim Ahmed and Adrian Salamunovic, entrepreneurs, lifelong friends and founders of DNA-11 have built a million-dollar business. It’s based on three human characteristics that define our differences: DNA, the lip print and the thumbprint. Through a compelling combination of science and design, DNA-11 offers the world a unique form of personalized art, customized to individual taste and desire. 

“It all started with a portrait of my own DNA,” describes Adrian. “Nazim was selling the machines that allowed medical and forensics professionals the ability to do this and I thought it would be fascinating to see what mine looked like. Once I had this portrait hanging in my home, I started getting questions from friends and family about getting their own and it completely took off from there.”

The portraits are created from a cheek swab, sent to all clients in a kit, which upon return translates into a bold and colorful abstract landscape of the personalized genetics code, strikingly reminiscent to a sparkling cityscape or cutting-edge computer motherboard. 

“We knew we were onto something when the TV show CSI: NY featured our work in one of their episodes,” says Adrian. “Our DNA portrait was used to help catch a criminal.”The duo, realizing the endless possibilities of utilizing human trademarks to create unique art, have also started to offer lip and thumbprint portraits as well, similarly designed to collect information directly from the client via ink and kiss blot kits sent upon request. 

In vivid Warholian fashion, DNA-11 has managed to produce a new twist on pop art that satisfies both vanity and contemporary art tastes, while simultaneously making everyone famous in their own environment for far longer than fifteen minutes. It’s like making your own portrait for posterity.