Week 3: Art and Robotics

Without even realizing it, I have grown up in a society where robots play an integral part of our everyday lives.  I was unaware of the impact that robots had on society, especially its relation with art. Whether it is a simple robot like an iPhone or a more intelligent robot such as an automaton, our society depends on these mechanical technologies as a mechanization of labor. However, in order to have the technology that we have today it is important to consider how the earliest machines contributed to the growing Renaissance. It was not until the Second Revolution that society began to accept robots as a mechanism of labor. It is crazy to think that this single invention eventually led to modern industrialized robots that have the ability to mimic human actions.

This shows the beginnings of the assembly line and mass production

The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 1430’s was the beginning of the assembly line production. This has its advantages and disadvantages. It decreased employment and manual labor while increasing mass production. Walter Benjamin believed that ability to reproduce art took away from the “aura” and authenticity from original art. As this may be true, I disagree. After watching the lectures from this week, I feel like society would not be nearly as sophisticated without the help of robots.

Da Vinci's Soldier Robot 

In the middle of the 20th century, Leonardo Da Vinci created innovative devices and materials that possess mechanical qualities. His inventions are still highly regarded today in the fields of mechanics in addition to art. His works plays a significant role in robotic history. The device above is called the "solider robot," which is an automaton that is capable of some human-like movements.

Dating back to the 1920’s, the Ford assembly line paved the way for future endeavors in the growing field of mechanics. It is so interesting how robotics has such a strong connection with art. For example, the idea of the robot came out of theater. In other cultures, especially Japan, robots play a unique role in the lives of humans. The robots possess aesthetic qualities that allow them to take of the form of humans. In Japanese culture, it is intriguing how robots are almost considered as equals to their human counterparts. In addition to that, the humanistic forms of these robots are strongly connected to art in the sense that they are aesthetically created to emulate human mannerisms.

This image shows the interaction of robots and humans in an artistic setting in Japanese society

Works Cited

"The Invention of the Printing Press - PsPrint.com." PsPrint.com. PsPreint A Deluxe Company, 2 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Walter Benjamin - Biography." Walter Benjamin. The European Graduate School EGS. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Leonardo Da Vinci's Robots." Leonardo Da Vinci's Robots. All On Robots. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Arendt, Hannah. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Walter Benjamin. Schocken/Random House, 1 Feb. 2005. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.