Reuben Margolin: Art, Math and Motion

While Californian artist Reuben Margolin does not exactly make 'robots', he is (forgive me) making waves that have implications and applications in both art and robotics.

His creative impulses include drawing, painting, furniture and even rolling-vehicle making, yet it is his mastery of kinetic sculpture, natural materials and motions, analogue controls (in a digital world) and theatrically dramatic presentations, often hypnotically captivating, that required his inclusion in this gallery.

'Magic Wave'

This is one of the biggest and most complex examples of kinetic art in the world. The 'Magic Wave' is an aluminum grid suspended by 256 cables and the overhead mechanics contain 3000 pulleys, 5 kilometers of steel cable, and 9 motors. In all more than 50000 parts. It was a collaboration with the staff at Technorama Swiss Science Center and displays wave characteristics of Wavelength, Amplitude and Frequency.

Video of 'Magic Wave' from the opening show at Technorama


'Round Wave'


Detail 'Round Wave'


Video of 'Round Wave'
Video by: Michele Orlando


'Spiral Wave' by Reuben Margolin
Video by Michele Orlando

(Posted with Artist Permission)

The following video for MAKE: TV is a fascinating profile of Reuben, his work and his process. I found it not only compelling but, more importantly, inspiring - as an artist and as a lover of art. It is included here in the hopes it has the same effect on others.

A Robotic Recital from Toyota

This robotic humanoid from Toyota can, arguably, play the violin. Now I want to see ten more of these paired with a few of the percussive pianos from LEMUR's 'gig' at the National Gallery of Art. Things are really starting to get interesting now...

Builder's Studio Crafting Reto Bots From Wood

Peter Pochylski likes his robots retro and made of wood. So that's exactly how he builds them. Large or small, these warm, wooden, constructs are infused with a charming humor and unique, age-worn, style.

Like characters from the earliest science-fiction films, many of Peter's pieces seem to tell a story or, at least, play their part in some larger, grander, drama.

Not surprising, perhaps, considering the clear influences from Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Alex Raymond and even The Jetsons, that seem to inform his work and direct his steampunk/retro-future style.

'The Seeker'


'Big Fish Walker'

'Quad Walker V2' and 'Blue Snipper Robotosaurus'

'GrannyBot w/ Fresh Cookies' and 'The Littlest Centurion'


'Canadian RoboBull-Moose'


'Hey Big Spender'
by Peter Pochylski

(Posted with Artist Permission)

www.buildersstudio.etsy.com

Guillaume Reymond Transforms Spaces

Guillaume Reymond, the French-Swiss award-winning artist, has stepped out of the traditional box for his art project series Transformers. Outside and up, in fact. Way, way, up. Requiring the use of a Zeppelin to fully realize, a collection of vehicles (from Garbage and Fire trucks to Buses and Ambulances) are carefully positioned, revealing massive, transformer-like, robots in parking lots and fields. So far there are three in the Transformers series. One and Two are featured below.

Transformers#3 is only available at the artist's website. (By the artists request, so as to leave you something to discover on your own.)

'Transformers #1'




'Transformers #2', or 'RetroBus'



by Guillaume Reymond

(Posted with Artist Permission)

www.notsonoisy.com

Eric Joyner's Sweet Nostalgia

'The Usual Suspects'

... of Robots and Donuts. San Fransisco based Eric Joyner, illustrator, painter, instructor and robot dreamer, has been honing his craft for over twenty-five years. He works a nostalgically retro style which evokes memories of a time since past, yet a time that never quite existed either. A Surreal, alternate time, when Marlowe hunted for the red robots Hideout or when smoke-filled auditoriums held Friday night Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robot boxing bouts.

I haven't even gotten to the donuts yet. Like a kid in a candy store, many of Eric's worlds are filled with sweet treats of surreal proportion and mysterious function, infusing a warm charm that instantly comforts and delights. Yet all is not quite as sugary sweet as it first seems. Just under the icing lies undercurrents of violence, depression and tragedy. The robots, it seems, are not always happy.

'Between Rounds'


'Robo Kong' & 'This is This'


'IO Jima'


'The Hideout'


'The Collator'


'Draconian Ways'
by: Eric Joyner

(Posted with Artist Permission)

www.ericjoyner.com

Emek: Psychedelic Meets Post-industrial - Pt.1

Emek's prolific (and generous) nature has required splitting his feature into multiple parts. Part 2 & 3 will follow.

He has also inspired me to expand on the materials, images and information so far included on botShots for each artist. While it was always envisioned as a (mostly) visual blog/on-line art gallery, botShots has begun to evolve and develop into a growing resource (and hopefully, authority) on Robot Art. As such, I will begin to expand the written component of botShots over the next while, possibly including some 'critical' essays and trying to include additional educational and reference resources. Coming soon...

'U R What U Watch'
(or The 4 Pornbots Of The Apocalypse)

Primarily a Rock and Roll poster artist, Emek has won numerous awards and created cover art and posters for bands including Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam, B.B. King, Bob Marley and Radiohead. He surprised even himself when he was asked to provide some of his 'robot' work, at just how many he had done and how influential a subject matter it obviously is to him.

'Old School'


'BullBot & Robotz'


'Harley Bot'


'SharkBot'


'Steamcycler'
(Animated Version in Pt.3)
by: Emek

(Posted with Artist Permission)

www.emek.net

Part 2 of this feature will include a selection of posters featuring robots and will follow in the coming days. Part 3 will contain additional works from Emek as well as a preview of an upcoming feature on Emek's father, also an artist interested in robots and machines in art. Watch for these coming soon...

Pindar Van Arman's Robot Paints Realism(and other Robots)

Pindar Van Arman collaborates with his robot 'Zanelle' to produce acrylic paintings. Apparently, and luckily for us, Zanelle 'prefers' to paint other robots although portraits of people have also been created.

'R2-D2 4x4'


'Run, Asimo, Run'


'The Slave Auction'


'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Cylon'
by: Pindar Van Arman & Zanelle

(Posted with Artist Permission)

www.VanArman.com

Max Dean and Raffaello D'Andrea's Robot Chair

"The Robotic Chair" (Max Dean, Raffaello D'Andrea, Matt Donovan) in the short film Robotic Chair by Peter Lynch. The chair contains 14 motors, two gearboxes and various electronics. Sensors and algorithms aid the robot in re-uniting its missing parts.

Alan Rath's Unique Vision

'Creature' - 2000 (Click for Video)


'I Like To Watch' - 2000 (Click for Video)


'Voyeur' - 1986 (wow)


'Optical Cylinder IV' - 2008


'Rover' - 1998 (Click for Video)
by: Alan Rath

(Posted with Artist Permission)

AlanRath.org

David Lipson's - Lipson Robotics

'Elgin'


'Weston 273'


'Volcon'


'Weston Ampheres'
by: David Lipson

(Posted with Artist Permission)

Lipson Robotics