Body. Body. Body. - - the ultimate- ex-perience

In 2007, contemporary performance artist Stelarc who explores human body as a form of sculpture implanted a plaster ear on his left arm. Though he had to take it out later, Stelarc positioned a mini microphone in the ear. The sound was wirelessly transmitted and clearly heard. From his website, there are photos of the surgery and finally Stelarc portrait with The Ear on Arm.
I introduced Stelarc to Michelle, one of my roommates, and showed the photos and explained briefly that Stelarc investigates the idea of the human body is obsolete. Michelle was grossed out and felt uncomfortable. She didn't accept his work as art.
And I thought, 'Is this art?'

Art history and artists that I'm learning from Electronic Media and Culture challenge the idea of art constantly. I often feel difficult and anxious because it is not usual, logically accepted way of approaching art. For example, the one that Michelle was so grossed out was Stelarc and Nina Sellars' Blend project was involving liposuction from artists' body and using as a medium. Human fat and art? Isn't it more like science? Art? What is art?

California based machine performance art group, Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) delve into sensation of destruction, fear and domination by large scale machine performances. SRL's shows blows audiences' mind and their physical body. The crashing, exploding, firing sounds and the smoke created during the performance are almost inbearable. It might look like a joke, machines destroying machines, but the experience, the ultimate experienced of immersed, the pure moment of the environment, material or the mass itself is what SRL is aiming for like Stelarc and other contemporary artist.

I still have a mild preoccupied sense of how art should be that art should be sacred and superior, almost untouchable. I'm still learning to let go from, for example, seeing Ann Hamilton's works. As an installation artist, Hamilton invites the viewers to come in to space. Such her Tropos installation project, Hamilton visually, acoustically and olfactorily introduce her art world to audiences. Horse hair on the floor, an actor reading and burning each line and the murmuring sounds combine to create an experience. Appreciating her work as going into a fairytale advanture alone, I felt more comfortable with Hamilton's art than Stelarc or SRL's. Experience doesn't have to be intense fear or grotesque. To illustrate using taste, I don't have to eat crazy spicy or hot to feel the food. For me, smelling and tasting the flavor of the tea will be enough satisfying experience. Art that I can eat and smell, yes, that kind of experience.

John Ca-g-e

I remember my first encounter to John Cage in 2008 summer. I was participating Missouri Fine Arts Academy, a summer camp for selected high school students who are visual, vocal, instrumental, dance, dedicated to explore the interdisciplinary art. There were mini concerts and show case throughout the camp from students and faculties. One of them featured Cage’s work. I don’t remember who performed but it was Cage’s 4’33 piano version.

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I wanted to see orchestra version after the end of the performance.


As if he was defining the undefinables, Cage’s ability to perceive and recreate definition of sound intrigues me. Although he had no desire for harmony, music he composed has structures, “not necessarily connected or disconnected” according to Mr. Cunningham. Relating back to Fluxus movement, Cage was one of the leading artists who expressed that music doesn’t have to be traditional or elegant.

When I heard 4"33, I just couldn't say anything about it. I was surrounded by some kind of music all the time yet often fail to acknowledge them. 4'33 forced me to feel the presence of sound. There were other about 400 students in the stadium, somebody coughing, clothes and papers rustling , low bass machine were few subtle sound I remember. Then another form of overwhelming sound after the perfomance: people clapping, whispering, chair squeak, footstep sound ... I felt I was in the middle of the universe of invisible sound world, lost within.


I wish I could find sound of true sound within me.
With no limit, just full of sounds surrounding me as Cage searched for his entire life.