When journalist Jenny Valentish met up with Australian performance artist Stelarc for the first time – an artist renowned for suspending himself from steel hooks and growing a human ear out of his own forearm – he gave her a warning.
‘He warned me upfront, “I am the least tormented person you’re ever going to meet, if that’s what you’re hoping for”. And we met up… and then we went for coffee. And he was right, he was just a really lovely friendly chap who was perfectly willing to talk about these quite hideous things that he’s done to his body over the years,’ Valentish said.