Body Art and Somaesthetics: A Shusterman-Stelarc Dialogue

Abstract

This dialogue between performance artist Stelarc and philosopher Richard Shusterman, moderated by Dorota Koczanowicz at the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts, explores the evolving concept of the soma as a culturally constructed, technologically augmented entity. Rejecting Cartesian dualism, both speakers emphasize embodied subjectivity and the inseparability of mind and body. The discussion addresses artistic practice as a site of epistemic inquiry, highlighting tensions between autonomy and collaboration, presence and absence, and the interplay of discomfort and learning. Topics include prosthetic extensions, performative personas, and the ambivalent role of technology in shaping somatic experience. The conversation concludes by questioning the boundaries between art, science, and philosophy, advocating for a nuanced understanding of artistic research beyond institutional frameworks.