Final Project Documentation: “Seeing And Seen”
Identifying oneself and the other through the simultaneous action of both seeing and being seen
“The Singing Heads” by Nathaniel Mellors(2009)
This is a kinetic sculpture by Nathaniel Mellors. It only moves, but it also makes sounds. As the audience experiences this piece, they hear words”freedom” from three heads. It is quite indistinguishable if they are serenading freedom, or asking for their freedom. Uncanny feeling comes from the object looking very realistic. The piece was displayed with a price tag with $75000. more here.
-I had a hard time finding the original title of this piece
“Partner Robot” by Toyota (2007)
This violin-playing robot was made by Toyota. Toyota has been putting a lot of effort into creating robots that can provide support in the field of medical need and work around the house. Looking at these humanoid robots, the boundaries of what robots actually do and what humans do become questionable. It is more difficult to make and program the robots to play violin than a person to learn how to play a violin. As audiences watch the robot performing, it is unavoidable to look at this robot as a human. People become unsure if the robot is actually playing a violin or if it just a machine that is programmed.
More Here.
“Miyata Jiro” by Momoyo Torimitsu(1997)
This crawling robot was made by a Japanese artist to symbolize the decline of Japan’s economy. It is a robot that has a very simple mechanism, but because it has such a realistic appearance, it becomes uncanny. It not only exists as a sculpture, but it also becomes an element in public performance.
.More Here.
“Paul the robot drawing Patrick” by Patrick Tresset(2011)
This robot draws a portrait of a person who is sitting in front of the camera. It questions what robots can’t do and what humans can’t do. This robot draws, more accurately than an artist can. When all it does is replicate the figure in data, is it really art?
More here.
Design Assignment 3: Dear. My Dear.
Many students were stressed and frustrated due to the cold and snow. To create illusion and provoke nostalgia in the minds of the viewers, I projected a video of waves on a shore onto the CFA Lawn.
When the illusion of the waves was gone, only the footprints were left.
Link to: Public Response (direct footage from one of the participants)
“Air Swimmers Flying Fish”
This robot is a remote controlled toy. The robot is used to pilot a Mylar balloon which takes the form of animals including fish, sharks, and other sea animals. They give the illusion of swimming or floating through the air. The weightlessness of these balloons also gives off the illusion of flying.
“The Missing Stone” by Yoav David (2011)
It is a projection that is specific to an architectural structure. By choosing a building before the video, the artist was able to change the structure into an architectural sculpture. The artist described this piece as “a story-telling architectural projection”.
More here.