Week 3: Robotics + Art

 Week 3: Robotics + Art

April 19, 2024

I found this week's material specifically thought provoking with the inclusion of robotics and mechanization within art. Walter Benjamin states “to an ever greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility,” in reference to mechanical reproduction (1936 p. 2). Robotics (in the use of art) is an area in which mechanical reproduction could be used in a way that would design the work of art for reproducibility. If someone shared plans for a robotic art piece, someone with the same materials and tools could reproduce that piece. This also is how much of society has responded to industrialization. For example, a positive way in which society has responded to industrialization and mechanical reproduction with robotics is kids robotics teaching camps. Places such as Rolling Robots serve as teaching hubs designed as camps or celebrations to guide kids through building and understanding a robot.

Rolling Robots. SUMMER CAMPS IN LA. (n.d.). https://www.summercampsinla.com/product-page/rolling-robots

The experiment with Dirk the ‘homeless robot’ was fascinating and warranted some interesting reactions from people. There are far less substantial interactions with Dirk before the music starts playing from the box he rolls around. Once the music played (seemingly because Dirk was turning the handle), people tried talking to the robot, asking it questions, and even touching it which is more interactive/involved than the beginning interactions.

Mirenfred. (2008, September 7). Dirk the Homeless Robot/www.electric-circus.eu. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HfmKXfp394 

My first thought when noticing this increase in interaction was that once there was ‘art’ involved in the experiment, people connected to the piece and gathered around it more. It was art (music, design) and science (experimentation, engineering) connected to each other through technology (robotics). 

Neely, P. (2013, September 14). Musical Robots take the stage for harmony, not domination. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2013/09/14/216482747/musical-robots-take-the-stage-for-harmony-not-domination 

Sources

Benjamín, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks, 2007, pp. 25–33. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446269534.n3.

Machiko Kushara & Vesna, Victoria “Professor Machiko Kushara on Japanese Robotics” (Lecture).

Mirenfred. (2008, September 7). Dirk the Homeless Robot/www.electric-circus.eu. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HfmKXfp394 

Rolling Robots. SUMMER CAMPS IN LA. (n.d.). https://www.summercampsinla.com/product-page/rolling-robots 

Vesna, Victoria. “Robotics + Art Lecture Part 2” Accessed 16 April 2024.