Stelarc's Body Analysis
The Example
According to Australian artist Stelarc the human body is obsolete, flawed and prone to problems such as pain and death (Leeker, 2000, p.49). He continuously extends and manipulates his physical body in bionic performances, experimenting with the expansion of the limits of the human body in projects such as Third Hand (1980), Exoskeleton (1997) and Ear on Arm (2007). Moreover, he questions the necessity to stay human when technology starts to invade our lives and bodies (Stelarc, 1997, p. 243). To illustrate the argumentation presented in this essay Stelarc’s performance Fractal Flesh (1995) will be used.
Glesner (2015) describes that in this piece of art Stelarc’s body was remote controlled by distant audiences in Helsinki, Amsterdam …show more content…
(2014) Fractual Flesh represents a performative interaction. A person interacting with technology, who is watched by spectators can be regarded as a “‘performing body’ and a ‘performing subject’” (ibid., p.1). Every interaction which is affected by the spectacle it arouses, the public location it is set or the presence of an audience, can be seen as a performative interaction (ibid.). In Stelarc’s art piece both the participants as well as Stelarc are interacting with technology and the performance can be watched online by an infinite audience. Fractal Flesh can therefore be seen as a performative interaction and the operators of the touch screen represent performers. Stelarc, however is not regarded as a performer in this case. His has no control over his body movements as he moves involuntary. His physical body serves as the interface during the performance; as an artefact or sculpture. In fact, Stelarc is interface and audience at the same time. He is remote controlled by the user, but watches him or her while doing so. Although Stelarc’s body can be regarded as a lifeless artefact in the performance, it is lively body in reality. So controlling his human body with electronic stimuli is different than controlling a robot or another lifeless object. The participant probably commiserates with the artist and is able to understand exactly how the effects of the finger pressure must feel like for
According to Australian artist Stelarc the human body is obsolete, flawed and prone to problems such as pain and death (Leeker, 2000, p.49). He continuously extends and manipulates his physical body in bionic performances, experimenting with the expansion of the limits of the human body in projects such as Third Hand (1980), Exoskeleton (1997) and Ear on Arm (2007). Moreover, he questions the necessity to stay human when technology starts to invade our lives and bodies (Stelarc, 1997, p. 243). To illustrate the argumentation presented in this essay Stelarc’s performance Fractal Flesh (1995) will be used.
Glesner (2015) describes that in this piece of art Stelarc’s body was remote controlled by distant audiences in Helsinki, Amsterdam …show more content…
(2014) Fractual Flesh represents a performative interaction. A person interacting with technology, who is watched by spectators can be regarded as a “‘performing body’ and a ‘performing subject’” (ibid., p.1). Every interaction which is affected by the spectacle it arouses, the public location it is set or the presence of an audience, can be seen as a performative interaction (ibid.). In Stelarc’s art piece both the participants as well as Stelarc are interacting with technology and the performance can be watched online by an infinite audience. Fractal Flesh can therefore be seen as a performative interaction and the operators of the touch screen represent performers. Stelarc, however is not regarded as a performer in this case. His has no control over his body movements as he moves involuntary. His physical body serves as the interface during the performance; as an artefact or sculpture. In fact, Stelarc is interface and audience at the same time. He is remote controlled by the user, but watches him or her while doing so. Although Stelarc’s body can be regarded as a lifeless artefact in the performance, it is lively body in reality. So controlling his human body with electronic stimuli is different than controlling a robot or another lifeless object. The participant probably commiserates with the artist and is able to understand exactly how the effects of the finger pressure must feel like for