Man Growing an Ear on Own Arm...for Art

Man Growing an Ear on Own Arm...for Art

Image by Nina Sellars, courtesy Stelarc

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/02/stelarc_and_other_contemporary_artists_experiment_with_science.html 

1)  What evidence is most convincing that this is art?  What proof do we have that he is an artist?  

2)  Why might his artist friend feel differently about this than a deaf person?  Why might a Chinese person view this differently than an American?  How is my own experience limited in this story?  How is it related?

3)  How is this connected to the GMO food debate?  How is this connected to plastic surgery? Van Gogh?

4)  What would happen if we banned this for art?  Medical use?    

5)  Is this relevant more now or will it be in the future?  What is the long term effect of this modification?  Who is most affected by this?  

Extension Activities

1)  Students can research body modification through time or through cultures and propose future modification trends.

2)  Students can research about the limits of art and defend a policy limit to art or support for unrestricted freedom of expression.