Potworne ciała protetycznego. Obcość uwewnętrzniona

The author considers the relation between bodies and prostheses and outlines the theoretical perspectives which take into account the problems of a prosthetic body. It also shows few strategies that are employed to deal with the monstrosity of the body which internalised technology. Among some integrating strategies the author discusses the tactics of portraying a prosthetic body as a body-armour. Such activities include communist and fascist technological projects which had a similar purpose: to erase the image of the monstrous, crippled body. The monstrosity of war disability is subjugated through images of prosthetic functionality. Another integrating strategy discussed in the article is the creation of a body-product. Advertising images of the body with integrated prostheses make prostheses invisible. Commercial images of prosthetic bodies also develop fantasies about sexy cyborgs, perfect examples of post-human progress. Contrary to the previous tactics, there is an approach resisting the need to consolidate the body. Among the activities rejecting the integrating strategies the author discusses the group “Amputets” (six American war veterans who underwent amputations), Hans Bellmer’s artworks, a phenomenon of apotemnophilia and Mathew Barney’s film “Cremaster 3”. These are examples of cultural activities that challenge the monstrous prosthetic recognition of our bodies, whose cohesion is only a fantasy.