Internationally acclaimed Australian performance artist Stelarc is in Launceston, inviting the community to reconsider the body and its possibilities.
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Stelarc is known for exploring alternative anatomical architectures - implanting an extra ear into his arm, nakedly suspending himself from meat hooks inserted into his body on a New York City street, or powering six-legged walking robots through arm gestures.
"We look at the evolutionary architecture of the body and there's two arms, two eyes, two ears. What about the possibility of having extra limbs or other extra sensory possibilities?" he said.
"I like the idea of technology being the external organs of the body."
This week, Stelarc visited Launceston College and Newstead College, inspiring and engaging Launceston's youth.
"It's really been a pleasure being here and not only presenting about my own work, but also having a chance to talk to some of the students and checking out what they're doing and making suggestions as to possible directions they can take."
Stelarc also challenged students to consider what a body was and how it operates in the world.
Launceston College head of art Scott Cunningham said he wanted to present the students with an artist who "pushed the boundaries".
And after Stelarc visited last year and being a hit with the students, he was eager to have him back.
Mr Cunningham said it was important to present students with a diversity of art.
"Most of the time when when kids talk about high school art, they're talking about drawing, maybe painting, maybe a bit of ceramics ... having a performance artist is perfect," he said.
"Our goal at the end of the day is just making sure the students when they leave here, they look at the world differently ... and if you can someone like Stelarc, he's probably going to be a bit of a catalyst."
University of Tasmania Academy Gallery academic director Malcom Bywaters said it was exciting to have Stelarc in Launceston showing students what was possible.
"From a community point of view, if we can all come together and join our resources and get somebody of Stelarc's level of international quality here ... it's incredible," he said.
Mr Cunningham said if they could get Stelarc to Launceston, it was possible to bring others down too.
Stelarc will present a public lecture at the UTAS Inveresk Library on Wednesday April 13 from 12.30pm to 2pm. Admission is free, but spaces are limited. Masks are required. Register at https://www.utas.edu.au/events/2022/april/stelarc-body-works
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