Unlimited Editions

2022-2024

Since the birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996, the world's first cloned mammal, animal cloning technology has evolved into a profitable industry to serve human desires.  The recovery of endangered or extinct animal species, reproduction of beloved pets, creation of the ultimate sports horse or generation of livestock with desired traits. 

Unlimited Editions is a research-driven exploration of commercial horse and pet cloning. This project examines motivations behind cloning and analyses perspectives on its ethical, personal, and commercial implications. Through interviews with people who had their horses and pets cloned, visits to cloning companies and conversations with embrylogisits in cloning labs, I aim to understand to which extent we should shape nature to fit our own needs.

Cloned foals in Texas, US.


A surrogate mare in one of the many pastures of ViaGen in Texas.

'Then I put another embryo in her and she starts all over.'

  -Blake Russell. He is the Vice President of ViaGen Pets & Equine, the largest commercial cloning company in the world.
Genetic material of pets is stored in tanks. 
I struggled to reconcile cloning with the presence of God in Texas.




'‘ It’s another soul, but it’s the same thing.’

-Roberto 


A horses ear in a research lab in the UK.
Research to determine whether the genetic material is suitable for horse cloning.
Kelly had her cat Chai cloned after she suddenly passed away. 
‘Chai understood me in a way that no one else ever has. We just connected.’ 




©2025 Maartje van Ringen