Stelarc, posthumanist and artist, implants "third ear" inside his arm

Earlier this year, Stelarc finally found a medical doctor willing to implant a cell-cultivated ear beneath the skin on the artist's forearm.

The resulting body-mod is shown here. Photo by Nina Sellars, who is also married to the artist.

Stelarc is apparently planning to go through a few more surgeries to give it more definition.

"He's also going to implant a mic inside the ear that will connect to a bluetooth transmitter, so the ear can broadcast audio from the internet wirelessly," explains former BB guestblogger and sometimes Stelarc collaborator Karen Marcelo. "That Stelarc, always got something up his sleeve! He likes to say that too. "

He also has a walking robotic head (photos: 1, 2).

More photos of the arm with ear: surgery close-up (warning: extra gross), and here's a bunch more, including the rubber negative and cells growing in a petri dish (ew, looks like a shallow bowl of wonton soup).

(Thanks, Karen Marcelo!)

Previously on BoingBoing:

  • Jasmina Tešanović: Stelarc in Ritopek
  • Lend me an ear
  • Cultured Couture

    Reader comment: Darran Edmundson says,

    A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of playing a small technical role in one of Stelarc's projects. He's the most accomplished but down-to-earth artist you'd ever have the pleasure of meeting. Third person paraphrased, I heard his response to the question, "What was the secret to hanging from all of those hooks?" (Link) as, "No secret, it f*cking hurts (smile)". He's a character … and I mean that in the most positive sense imaginable.