Just Do It

ArtBots Philly 2007


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Published: Apr 10, 2007

Runs April 13-June 30, Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. free, The Esther M. Klein Art Gallery, 3701 Market St., 215-966-6188, www.kleinartgallery.org

Robots have come a long way. No longer limited to the assembly line, they guide bombs, answer telephones and even serve as pets (for total nerds). ArtBots, a robotic talent show of sorts, pushes the people factor one step further and makes them artists.

At the international show's first visit to Philly, the bots produce a variety of "art." Drawing Machine 3.1415926 v.2, a sleek metallic mobile, hangs above the ceiling and creates designs on the canvas below. Nearby, Misericordiam plays the accordion and Wildflower Meadow Glacier plants flowers while monitoring climate change and CO2 levels. Neil and Iona, humanoids with lively facial expressions, interact with the audience as String Ball Collector scampers across the floor obsessively gathering his props. In the lobby, RAVI-bot, a robotic sitar designed by Penn engineering students, mimics the improvisational style of the instrument. (At home, Girlfriend-bot mimics the improvisational style of a woman. We kid, we kid.)

While the show is about the aesthetics and playful design of the bots, it also hopes to raise questions about the intersection of art, technology and humanity. "This is a great way to ask contemporary questions," says curator and ArtBots director Douglas Repetto. "As we invent new technologies with decision-making capabilities, where does the responsibility lie?"