Week 6 Blog
Prior to this week's lectures, I believe that I have not given proper thought to biotech, art, what it is, and it's standing in society. The definition of art, which Joe Davis pulls from the dictionary as: "Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature," is interesting within itself [Davis]. With more research, I found Stelarc, an Australian performance artist, to be a prime example of human effort counteracting the work of nature in art.
Stelarc and His Robotic Arm
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTqtiM1hK6lU&psig=AOvVaw2up7lIvckTpmdT1DK_MN-R&ust=1684046036556000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJDAhMDW8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ
Stelarc pursued a body modification art project, one of which I have never heard of, where he wanted to implant a cell-cultivated ear into his arm. After 11 years, he finally found a surgeon who was willing to perform such a procedure. Stelarc's reasoning behind such a drastic, almost random project, was recalled by him as: "General curiosity about what’s possible, what’s plausible, what pushes the boundaries. Determining, for example, the psychological and physiological parameters of the body or how one can augment the physical body – biological body – with prosthetic attachments or robotic extensions or using instruments that enhance your sensory apparatus" [Anker]. While Stelarc's project seems insane to many, if not most, people, I think that this art cultivation is incredibly insightful as it uses the human body as a canvas for artistry through the use of biotechnology.
Stelarc and his Ear Implant
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTqtiM1hK6lU&psig=AOvVaw2up7lIvckTpmdT1DK_MN-R&ust=1684046036556000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJDAhMDW8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ
Even more interesting, is that the ear was grown in the lab using Stelarc's own stem cells, which is a growing research industry within itself [Rodriguez]. When I think of stem cells, I think of their ethical issues and where we get them from, but I never have thought of using them to create art, but, the more that I ponder, I think that there are endless possibilities for using stem cells in art. Stelarc's plans to insert a microphone into the structure, connected to a neurotransmitter, make this project all the more creative and innovative [Dayal]. As the implant will be able to function as a third ear, albeit extremely unnaturally. Descendants of Stelarc's era of biotechnology art implants, such as Amy Karle, also use stem cells in order to create art. Amy Karle recently created a model of a human heart using stem cells, rather than 3D printing, and it even has its own heartbeat [Godwin and Butterly].
Amy Karle's Stem Cell Heart
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetalmagazine.eu%2Fen%2Fpost%2Finterview%2Famy-karle&psig=AOvVaw2A2vpNNfeusnKWHOgzh3yM&ust=1684045821238000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCPjft9nV8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAa
Works Cited
“Amy Karle | English | Metal Magazine.” YouTube, 23 February 2022, https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetalmagazine.eu%2Fen%2Fpost%2Finterview%2Famy-karle&psig=AOvVaw2A2vpNNfeusnKWHOgzh3yM&ust=1684045821238000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCPjft9nV8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAa. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Anker, Suzanne. “What is Bio Art?” ARTDEX, https://www.artdex.com/what-is-bio-art/. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Davis, Joe. “Davis, Joe.” Cornell eCommons, https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/12935. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Dayal, Geeta. “For Extreme Artist Stelarc, Body Mods Hint at Humans' Possible Future.” WIRED, 2 May 2012, https://www.wired.com/2012/05/stelarc-performance-art/. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Fernández, Clara RodrÃguez. “Stelarc -- Making Art out of the Human Body.” Labiotech.eu, 10 November 2018, https://www.labiotech.eu/trends-news/stelarc-ear-art-human-body/. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Godwin, Cody, and Amelia Butterly. “The woman creating art with human stem cells.” BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-51709597. Accessed 12 May 2023.
“Stelarc.” YouTube, 23 February 2022, https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTqtiM1hK6lU&psig=AOvVaw2up7lIvckTpmdT1DK_MN-R&ust=1684046036556000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJDAhMDW8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ. Accessed 12 May 2023.
“Zombies, Cyborgs & Chimeras: A Talk by Performance Artist, Prof Stelarc.” YouTube, 23 February 2022, https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTqtiM1hK6lU&psig=AOvVaw2up7lIvckTpmdT1DK_MN-R&ust=1684046036556000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJDAhMDW8f4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ. Accessed 12 May 2023.
Hi Symphony! I didn't know that Stelarc used stem cells to grow the ear in lab! I'm curious to know what you thought of his statement that the human body is obsolete. It is intriguing to learn that artists like Amy Karle are also using stem cells in their artistic endeavors. It is really cool to learn that Karle's creation of a human heart model has it own heartbeat, which makes it even more realistic. It highlights the endless possibilities that arise when artists merge their creative vision with biotechnology.
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