Stelarc
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Stelarc (born Stelios Arcadiou on June 19, 1946) to Greek Cypriot parents is an Australian performance artist whose works focus heavily on futurism and extending the capabilities of the human body. As such, most of his pieces are centered around his concept that the human body is obsolete. He currently serves as Principal Research Fellow in the Performance Arts Digital Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University in Nottingham, England. He has two daughters, one of whom (Astra Stelarc), has continued in his footsteps as an artist.
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[edit] Performances
Stelarc's idiosyncratic performances often involve robotics or other relatively modern technology integrated with his body somehow. In 25 different performances he has hung himself in flesh hook suspension, often with one of his robotic inventions integrated. In another performance he allowed his body to be controlled remotely by electronic muscle stimulators connected to the internet. He has also performed with a robotic third hand, a robotic third arm, and a pneumatic spider-like six-legged walking machine which sits the user in the center of the legs and allows them to control the machine through arm gestures.
His works have been heralded for their abilities to embrace a wider audience, the best example of this was his allowance for the worldwide audience to log into the exhibition and thus access or control the electrodes his own body was hooked up to.
[edit] Works
In 2005, MIT Press published Stelarc : The Monograph which is the first extensive study of Stelarc's prolific work. It includes images of performances and interviews with several writers including William Gibson, who recount their meetings with Stelarc.
[edit] Awards and honors
- In 1995 Stelarc was awarded a 3 year fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts.
- In 1997 Carnegie Mellon University appointed him Honorary Professor of Art and Robotics.
- In 1998 he was artist-in-residence for the city of Hamburg, Germany.
- In 2000 Monash University awarded him an Honorary Degree of Laws.
- In March, 2003, at Ohio State University, he completed an artist-in-residence program.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Stelarc's official homepage
- Extended-Body: Interview with Stelarc
- The Body Without Memory: An Interview with Stelarc
