Many modern films have explored the possibility of future generations experiencing the introduction of 'cyborgs' or 'robots' into society. This idea of a 'cyborg' represents an impossible desire, and represents our concerns over the state of humanity. It is also a key example of the ways in which technological advances are affecting our physical appearance - and rather than developing outward from the human body, technology is moving closer into the human frame.
French artist Orlan took this idea one step further. She thought about reconfiguration of the human body, and wanted to achieve a new type of beauty. Orlan believe that beauty should not be defined by society, and we should not align ourselves with conventional values. To Orlan, beauty should NOT be structured by culture, but by the person who acquires it. She expressed these views through her work, and used cosmetic surgery as a means of reconstructing her face in a way which did not adher to modern conventions. For example, during one of her famous procedures in Japan (no French / British surgeon was prepared to perform such procedures) she asked the surgeon to give her the biggest nose possible - and during another, had 'horns' implanted in her forehead. Orlan turned the operating theatre into an entertainment arena and loved having an audience. She produced artwork using the fat, skin and blood which was left over following operations - commodofying / selling herself. She believed that we all acquire excess flesh (couch potato generation) and wanted to transform the human body to be active and engaged.
Australian artist Stelarc refers to himself as a 'post-human engineer' also used the human body in his work. His work was a lot more technologically focused than Orlan's - which was largly cosmetic. Stelarc was highly concerned about our physical relationship with modern technology - he thought that perhaps technology is moving too fast and we are getting left behind. To Stelarc, machines are becoming more useful than we are, and are beginning to possess better capabilities, to which we are able to compare. Stelarc's projects mean that his body movements have become involuntary, and he no longer has control over what movements his body makes. Stelarc's reinvention of the body for what he refers to as 'post plannatory environments' - a Matrix - like idea - show that he believes that our natural form is simply not enough to survive on 'Planet one' in the future, as technology is advancing at such high-speed. Stelarc does not refer to his body as his own - this distansiation with his own body could distinguish him as a Christian artist (independance of soul) - However Stelac strongly denies this claim. Stelarc states that his overall aim is for humans to have the ability to live without a physical form. He sees the body as a support mechanism for conciousness, and is not necessarily needed for human survival. He believes that conciousness can be captured in a technological form / platform, which would remove us from our current physical restraints.
