Advancements in technology cease to amaze me. We are continually offered things which in some way make our lives 'easier' or more 'enjoyable'. We are now able to do many things more efficiently, quickly, accurately etc. and in particular, whilst on the go. As time progresses, everything we do moves closer to our bodies. This has gone to the extent where even our bodies themselves have room for improvement and technological advancement.
There are people who now spend time looking into transforming our bodies in a way which will enhance it, develop it and make it more efficient or even change its aesthetics. This area is also known as transhumanism, and "is a philosophy that humanity, can, and should, strive to higher levels both physically, mentally and socially."
Stelarc is an Australian performance artist who ventures toward trying to eveolve the human body through the use of technology. In a modern world he believes our bodies aren't built to cope with the demands that we now have to face day to day. As a result he has carried out projects which have involved using technological prosthetics. These prosthetics in some cases plug straight into the bodies nervous system. One such project involved the use of an artificial hand, "attached to the right arm as an addition rather than as a prosthetic replacement, is capable of independent motion, being activated by the EMG signals of the abdominal and leg muscles." In the same way that technology has become a normal state outside our bodies, Stelarc is trying to create this same idea of the "norm", within the body itself.
Someone else who looks to manipulate the body is the French artist Orlan. Like Stelarc, her art is delivered in the form of a performance. In these performances she undergoes plastic surgery whilst still awake as she comments on the process. Some of her performances have even been aired live on television, and she has kept momentos in the form of bloody swabs or even deposits of fat taken from her body whilst in surgery. The idea behind her work is to try and look at what it is to be 'beautiful'. In doing so she changes the aesthetics of her body not to become "beautiful but rather to suggest that the objective ( beauty) is unattainable and the process horrifying." Orlan herself defines her art as"Carnal Art," which she explains as "a self-portrait in the classical sense, yet realized through the technology of our time."
When comparing the two artists i find both bizarre. However, I see the logic in some of the works of Stelarc although at times a little cringe worthy. They remind me of the science fiction idea of cyborgs whereby technology is used alonside human attributes to become more advanced. Some of his ideas seem far fetched at the moment, but already we look to technology to help the body. Look at Pacemakers for example!
