Week 3 | Robotics + Art | Juan Larson

As mentioned by Walter Benjamin in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” art is intrinsically interwoven with aspects of tradition and culture. Because of this, art, science, and technology, which as we discussed in the last two weeks are all interconnected, reflect the changes in culture and tradition caused by industrialization. This is reflected by the evolution of art and how as technology and science developed, art evolved alongside them. The development of science and technology led to the innovation of digital art and other new forms of modern technological art. 

Picture of an Automaton from Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_Mechanical_Theatre)

An example of the adaptation of art to fill new niches created by the development of technology caused by industrialization would be the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (presented in the image above). The Cabaret Mechanical Theatre is an organization that uses robotic automata as a form of contemporary art.

Video Showcasing Electric Circus Animatronics (https://youtu.be/szCgiNOx-LE)

Another similar example would be Fred Abels and Mirjam Langemeijer's creation and use of animatronics to create puppet shows that mimic real humans and animals. This is a form of art that could never have been possible without the advancement of technology caused by industrialization.

Photo of Ken Feingold's Piece "Hell" (http://www.kenfeingold.com/hell_thumbnail_cu.jpg)

Besides using robotics and technology to create shows and animatronics, some artists like Ken Feingold use science and robotics to create pieces of contemporary art which layers of meaning that are highlighted and accentuated by the use of robotics. Rather than creating a show, artists are able to use robotics to bring life to an otherwise still piece. This adds new levels to pieces of art and allows the artists to add deeper levels of expression and creativity by allowing the art to have an opportunity to express itself.

Works Cited

Benjamin, Walter, and Harry Zohn. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: An Influential Essay of Cultural Criticism; the History and Theory of Art. Adansonia Press, 1936. 

Davis, Douglas. “The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction: An Evolving Thesis: 1991–1995: Semantic Scholar.” JSTOR, 1 Jan. 1995, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Work-of-Art-in-the-Age-of-Digital-Reproduction%3A-Davis/8ffd34ef8fc4bfcd7496a25662142639557f27e1. 

Sarah, et al. “Automata Tinkering Global Workshop - May 2022.” Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, 8 Feb. 2022, https://cabaret.co.uk/automata-tinkering-global-workshop-may-2022/. 

“Electric Circus Dresseur Der Automaten.” Electric Circus Dresseur Der Automaten, http://www.electriccircus.nl/.

Feingold, Ken. “Ken Feingold: Artworks and Documentation.” Ken Feingold: Artworks and Documentation, http://www.kenfeingold.com/.