In animist world views agency is often interpreted as extending to both living and non-living nature. In Japanese Shintoism, for example, kami is a concept that allows natural phenomena, animals and rocks among other forces of nature to possess qualities original to deities and spirits. Could machines perhaps also have a spirit?

 

Three small robots, Mechanical Beings, manifested their agency in the exhibition space for two weeks. The robots have been implemented with silicone, robosheets, Arduino microcontrollers and infrared sensors. The sensor identifies obstacles in the space. If the sensor recognizes the wall, for example, the robot stops and changes direction. If, on the other hand, the obstagle moves in front of the robot, the robot makes a small spurt forward and, for example, the viewer may get the feeling that the creature is attacking them.

​

The work was exhibited at Project Room, Helsinki in 2021.

​

Mechanical Beings
16cm x 16cm x16cm, 3pcs
Kinetic installation
(silicone, robosheet, Arduino, infrared sensor)

2021