From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
New Media Art
STELARC
- STELARC is an Australian based performance artist, who works primarily in the field of New Media Art. The human body as an "obsolete body" has become Stelarcs main field of study. Through his work, he explores whether or not the human body is an adequate biological form.
- The body is neither a very efficient nor very durable structure. It malfunctions often and fatigues quickly; its performance is determined by its age. It is susceptible to disease and is doomed to a certain and early death. Its survival parameters are very slim - it can survive only weeks without food, days without water and minutes without oxygen (Stelarc, 1998).
- His works explore the idea of enhancing the body both physically and technically (Atzori and Woolford). Stelarc has conducted a number of experiments that investigate the relationship between his body and technology. Medical instruments, prosthetics, robotics, Virtual Reality systems and the internet have all been used to alter his body in an exploration of different interfaces. Stelarcs reseach revolves around the idea that like computers, our bodies need to continue evolution, and be continually updated or improved.
Biographical Notes
- Stelarc was born Stelios Arcadiou in Limassol, island of Cyprus on June 19, 1946 (Stelarc, 2004).
- After moving to Australia, Stelarc studied Arts and Crafts at T. S. T. C, a Melbourne Teachers College; Art and Technology at CAUTECH; and M.R.I.T., Melbourne University (Atzori and Woolford). Stelarc has commented that studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology had its frustrations. "No one understood what I was trying to do, and in fact I wasn't allowed to do a fourth year, and so I was never allowed to complete my art course." (Stelarc in Czegledy)
- Since then, Stelarc has held a number of artist-in-residence positions at various universities and other art institutions. Placments included those at RMIT: the Advanced Computer Graphics Centre of Melbourne and the Kansas City Art Institute. Amoung Stelarcs achivements are honorary positions at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh and Monash University, Melbourne.
Key Artworks
- Include:
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- The Muscle Machine is a five metre wide, six legged, hybrid human/machine type robot. Its functionality includes the ability to walk and motion in a style that mimics both human limbs and insects wings. The complexly enginered design allows for relatively flexible movement, with the use of fluidic muscle actuators eliminating problems such as friction and fatige.
- The human body stands central to the machine and interfaces with the structure through the use of encoders which are attached to the person's hip joints. The data that is decoded from the hip joins causes movement within a specific direction, at a specific speed. For example, if the user turns their torso, the machine will walk in the direction the human is facing.
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- This project created a 3D avatar head which is equipped to real time lip synch, conduct speech synthesis and change its facial expressions. The prosthetic head creates personality by tilting, nodding and turning as well as changing its eye gaze. This conversational system has embedded algorithms that give the head the ability to generate amateur poetry and sing on command.
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- After the amputation of a limb, amputees commonly experience a sensation that the amputated limb is still attached. This phenomenon is refered to as phantom limb. Stelarc has explored this occurence in his work entitled "Phantom Limb/Virtual Art". A computer-generated universal manipulator was created. This human like virtual limb is controlled through the use of VPL VR (a type of virtual reality) equipment.
Further Information
INTERNAL LINKS
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EXTERNAL LINKS
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References
- Stelarc (1998) "From Psycho-Body to Cyber-Systems: Images as Post-human Entities", in J. Broadhurst Dixon and E. J. Cassidy (ed.) Virtual Futures : Cyberotics, Technology and Post-Human Pragmatism, London: Routledge, pp. 116-123. ISBN 0415133807
- Stelarc (1995) "Towards the Post-Human", in Spiller, N. (ed.) Cyber Reader: Critical Writings of The Digital Era, London: Phaidon, pp. 262-269. ISBN 0714840718
- Atzori, P. and Woolford, K. (Unknown) "Extended-Body: Interview with Stelarc," Academy of Media Arts: Cologne, retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/stelarc/a29-extended_body.html
- Carnegie Mellon (2005) Retrieved October 27, 2005, from http://www.cmu.edu/
- CyprusIsland.com (2002) Limassol retrieved October 27, 2005, from http://www.cyprusisland.com/01_Information/limassol.htm
- Czegledy, N. (Unknown) "Digitized Bodies- Virtual Spectacles," InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre retrieved October 5, 2005, from http://www.digibodies.org/online/
- Kansas City Art Institute (2005) Retrieved October 27, 2005, from http://www.stamats.com/portfolio/kcai/default.asp
- Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. (2005) Dictionary.com, retrieved September 30, 2005, from http://dictionary.reference.com/
- Monash University (2005) Retrieved October 27, 2005, from http://www.monash.edu.au/
- RMIT (1999) Stelarc comes to RMIT, retrieved October 27, 2005, from http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=vf1xhxpzsddq;STATUS=A?QRY=stelarc&STYPE=ENTIRE
- Stelarc (2004) STELARC, retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.stelarc.va.com.au/
- Unknown (1992, February) "Cyberhuman," I-D Magazine, retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/stelarc.html
- Wikipedia (2005) Retrieved October 7, 2005, from http://www.wikipedia.org
Contributors to This Entry Include
User:Heike Herrling
Final Word Count: 590
Heike Herrling 17:31, 27 Oct 2005 (EST)
