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Stelarc is an Australian performance and media artist who uses prosthetics, robotics, biomedical instruments and networked systems to explore how bodies can interact with technology. His “alternative anatomical architectures” include a mechanically controlled Third Hand, performances involving bodily signals and remote actuation, and the Ear on Arm project. These are artistic investigations of human-machine coupling, not a straightforward program of medical enhancement.
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Who is Stelarc?
Stelarc works across performance, media art and augmented-human research. Rather than treating the body as a fixed boundary, his projects test what happens when it is extended, sensed or acted upon through machines and communications systems. The Australian Academy of the Humanities describes his projects as exploring “alternative anatomical architectures.”
His practice developed through distinct stages. His official biography records early bodily probes and signal amplification, as well as 27 suspension performances. ANAT says he developed the Virtual Arm through 3D CAD work; the project was realized at RMIT’s Advanced Computer Graphics Centre in 1992. The Virtual Arm belongs to this earlier phase and should not be confused with the later Third Hand or Ear on Arm.
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What is Stelarc’s Third Hand?
The Third Hand is a bespoke mechanical hand attached to Stelarc’s right arm as an additional hand. It is a performance apparatus and conceptual experiment in added bodily capacity, not a verified retail prosthesis or generally available assistive device.
According to the artist’s project page, the device is made from aluminium, stainless steel, acrylic, latex and electronic components, with electrodes, cables and a battery pack. Electrical signals generated by muscle contractions (EMG), typically from the abdomen and legs, control its movement. The listed actions include grasping and pinching, 290-degree wrist rotation and tactile feedback.
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What happened to the Ear on Arm?
Ear on Arm is an artistic project to construct an additional ear on Stelarc’s forearm and connect it to other people. The artist describes the second procedure as placing a miniature microphone in the constructed ear. It initially transmitted sound, but infection required the microphone to be surgically removed. The artist describes internet-enabled listening as a planned next step; the available account does not establish that this remote function was completed.
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How have his performances used networks and remote control?
Several projects explore distributed control: a body in one place can receive signals or remote input from elsewhere. Stelarc’s official biography describes Fractal Flesh (1995) as using remote muscle stimulation, and Ping Body (1996) and Parasite (1997) as using internet data to animate the body. In Re-Wired/ReMixed (2016), sensory input and remote access to an arm linked participants in different places.
These works make the network part of the performance’s bodily interface. The Australian Academy of the Humanities describes a 2024 Sonic Resonance performance using cameras, sensor bracelets, bio-signals, projected video and a robot arm. These are accounts by the artist and institutions, rather than independent technical evaluations.
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What is Reclining StickMan?
Reclining StickMan was commissioned for the 2020 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Stelarc’s official biography describes it as an interactive robot measuring 9 metres long and 4 metres high, algorithmically actuated and remotely controllable online. ANAT says the robot used pneumatic rubber muscles. These dimensions and technical details are reported by those sources.
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What recognition and later work has Stelarc received?
The Australian Academy of the Humanities records Stelarc’s election as an Honorary Fellow in 2024. His official biography also lists the Ars Electronica Golden Nica Hybrid Arts Prize (2010), the Australia Council Emerging and Experimental Arts Award (2015), and honorary doctorates in 2002, 2016 and 2023.
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His official chronology lists 2024 activities including Materiality at Praxis Artspace in Adelaide, the Palmer Sculpture Biennial, and Kyoshin (Sonic Resonance) in Tokyo. The Academy interview separately describes a 2024 Sonic Resonance performance at Gwangju Media Art Platform in Korea. These are past events, not announcements of current programming.
Quick Recap
How the projects differ
| Project | Body interface | Input or control | What it explores | Documented status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third Hand | External mechanical hand attached to the arm | EMG signals from muscle contractions | Additional mechanical actions, including grasp and pinch | Project page lists performance capabilities, including tactile feedback and wrist rotation |
| Ear on Arm | Surgically constructed ear on the forearm | Miniature microphone; internet connection described as a planned function | Proposed listening access between bodies in different places | Microphone was removed after infection; remote internet listening is not confirmed as completed |
| Networked performances | Body linked to remote sensing or actuation | Remote muscle stimulation, internet data or remote access, depending on the work | Distributed performance and interaction across locations | Specific capabilities are described in the artist’s and Academy’s accounts |
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