Art {Preposition} Robots

Those who do soon confront the unforgiving and unbullshitable laws of reality. -- Carl Pisaturo on building robots

There are many artists today working with robots. We can survey the field by substituting prepositions in the title phrase -- Art Of Robots, Art By Robots, and my favorite Art With Robots.

Art Of Robots

In this group I place artists whose end results is a robot. Usually as a kinetic or static sculpture. Alan Rath makes amazing robots, often including and sound technologies as well. His website has a number of video clips showing some of his work in action.





Carl Pisaturo makes metal robots with graceful dance-like motions.



Amorphic Robot Works with Lawrence Northey has made some very large active works of this type. Clayton Bailey, Chico MacMurtrie, Eric Paulos and Marque Cornblatt have also exhibit at The Tech museum.

Closely, related to these robots are performance robots. There is some overlap because some works above fit both ways, especially Alan Rath. His robots "One Track Minds" and "Robot Dancer" are wonderful performers. Frank Garvery's Omnicircus combines robotic, human performers and musicians.



Ken Goldberg has combined performance and web based interactivity. He often has web based projects that you can participate in like Tele-Twister or Tele-Garden. None are available today, but keep checking back for the next one.



Art By Robots

In this group are artist that substitute the robot for the human artist. Harold Cohen is the accomplished and famous artist in this group. In addition to his art, he and his robot Aaron did substantial artificial intelligence research. There are
many web resources



An overview of Cohen and Aaron

A Biography

Mostly about Aaron

About the research

There is also a link to a shareware program that duplicated Aaron's methods on your desktop or as a screensaver. Aaron

Art With Robots

This category is the one I like Art By Robots because the robot produces art work rather than being art work. Ken Goldberg has produced robots like this. You may have to scroll this web page far to the bottom to see these particular robots. He has adapted industrial "learning" robots by teaching them to paint. He has also made a CNC style robot Power and Water that probably belongs closer the "By" robots.


My work emphasizes the role of the robot as a tool to be used by the artist to extend what is possible. I think this is closer to actual role of robots and smart devices in our lives.



Robot Art Resources on the web

http://www.artbots.org

http://www.machinebrain.com

These sites have general information

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/

often has news about robot art and so does

http://www.robotics-society.org/html/