▪️About the lab 

We are launching a new Art Science lab consisting of artists, researchers, and cultural professionals from the Asia-Pacific region which might expand to other regions and countries in the future. Through the creative practice of Stelarc, a leading Australian performance artist who continues to have a profound influence on artists and researchers in various countries, we will hold multinational and cross-disciplinary idea-sharing, discussion, and talk sessions to develop the basis for future Art Science research projects, exhibitions, performances, workshops, and other projects related to the same theme. The Research Lab Program will be a long-term networking platform that will serve as a remote / physical laboratory for the participants to gain inspirations for their daily practice / research as well as to co-create a new cultural and scientific narrative across the Asia-Pacific countries. 

The participants are selected by the organizer and will be possibly invited by the other participating members after researching the candidates who have a direct influence or are deeply inspired by Stelarc’s works. This lab project will also contribute to connecting with other researchers / artists from Asia-Pacific regions who have been influenced by Stelarc and have collaborated with him. 

The participants in the lab will conduct further research on the theme and will create a collective writings /booklet (digital and physical) for distribution as an outcome of this lab program.  

▪️Why is it initiated in Japan?  

Stelarc was born in Cyprus and soon after he became an Australian citizen. In 1970, he came to Japan for the World Expo Osaka and resided in Yokohama,Japan from that time to the late 1980s. Living and working internationally as an artist based in Japan for 19 years, his prominent robotic arm work “Third Hand” was created in collaboration with the local Japanese robotics engineers.That was an epoch-making event in the Art & Science scene and also indicated the further aesthetic and technological development of Media Art and Bio Art after that time. The scientists from the following generations have been referring to Stelarc’s works like “Third Hand” until now and their research often has a great influence by the artist’s practice. We can rediscover this Art-Science feedback loop through his 50 years career. 

▪️What’s SPLIT BODY / BUNSHIN ?

“Bunshin” in Japanese, as represented in this lab, means other self, separated self or alter ego and its central motifs are autoscopy, internal other being, twins, “other existence” , which can be also translated into “Split Body” which Stelarc describes as an interesting research theme and possible future embodiment of artistic practice. “Split Body” is a physical / mental status that can be experienced through the artist / human body , partly involuntary and partly agent-driven, in the artist’s words, a fusion of Fractal Flesh (physical body) and Phantom Flesh (avatar).  (SPLIT BODY concept by Stelarc: As to the concept of “Split Body”- )    

The idea of “Bunshin” or “Split Body” or relevant, physical / virtual experiences are frequently seen in the ancient myths , like those of different local villages, districts and in any other countries’ folk tales which sometimes narrate the foundation of the country or the lands and even sustain the local identities.

On the other hand, when it comes to science fields, it has been a long researched topic, future solutions , even a challenged issue in the technologically developed society. 

Augmented human, enhancement of physical abilities using robotics are often associated with Posthuman topics though, considering the drastic evolution of these scientific fields and the possible fact that those research findings will go to the market in the very near future, we hope to work beyond the ongoing Posthuman perspective.

Through this research and exchange program,  we hope to develop a platform for artists , researchers, curators in the coming generations and build a new narrative in the Art and Science fields.