Born: 1946, Limassol, Cyprus
Nationality: Cypriot-Australian
Style: Performance Art, Body Art, Bio Art
Influences: Technology, cybernetics, the body
"The body is obsolete."
Notable Artwork
Third Hand (1980)
About Stelarc
Born: 1946, Limassol, Cyprus Nationality: Cypriot-Australian Style: Performance Art, Body Art, Bio Art Influences: Technology, cybernetics, the body Major Exhibitions: “Third Hand” (1980), “The Stomach Sculpture” (1993), “Ear on Arm” (2006) Quote: “The body is obsolete.” Website: http://stelarc.org/
Notable Artwork: Third Hand (1980)
Third Hand is a robotic appendage that Stelarc attached to his body and controlled using electromyography (EMG) signals from his abdominal and leg muscles. It was an early example of his exploration of extending the body’s capabilities through technology.
Significance
Stelarc is a pioneer in exploring the relationship between the body and technology. Third Hand, while not strictly using biological materials in the same way as genetic engineering, is crucial to Bio Art’s broader definition, which includes the merging of the organic and the technological. It explores the obsolescence of the human body and the potential for technological augmentation. This bridges Bio Art with performance and body art.