Thursday, April 14, 2016

Robotics + Art

Robotics + Art is a relationship that has created an entire genre of movies that have forever combined the two subjects. This relationship starting with industrialization and mass production.

In lecture, Professor Vesna mentioned mass production begins with the printing press. The printing press is the beginning of the assembly line production. Then there is the second industrial revolution, where the idea of the robot came out of the theatre as a response to mechanization of labor. Thus once again combining the arts and technology. Moving into the new era where machines blend in with biology. Invention of a movable type helped revolutionize the way people saw and describe the world people live in. Printing press helped make possible the rapid distribution of knowledge. Which can be argued as, to be a foundation for science fiction novels and movies to be popularized. A movie, I feel, provides a platform for futuristic art and technology is one such as back to the future. While a couple of the inventions in the movie were predecessors, there are many that represent technological advances today. Movies as a whole, that feature robotics, can arguably give glimpses into the future relationships between humans and technological advances.
List of predictions from Back to the future

In his piece, Walter Benjamin discusses a shift in perception and its affects in the wake of the advent of film and photography in the twentieth century. He wrote that the sense changes within humanity’s entire mode of existence, the way we look and see the visual work of art is different now and its consequences remain to be determined. He tries to make something specific about the modern age/ of the effects of modernity of the work of art in particular. Which in context, relates to films with Robotics. Typically there is a consequence/malfunction of the technology, that ultimately results in consequences for the humans. 
Walter Benjamin




I believe that both robotics/technology and art/films influence each other. First shown when mass assembly has given rise to great science fiction movies and plots. Next, inventions in technological advances could arguably be inspired by what is portrayed in films. As technological advances has truly defined the twenty first century, advances in technology displayed in films, both progressively aid in the advancement of the human-technology relationship. 
list of popular robots from movies/films


Sources: Pictures
www.relatably.com
walterbenjaminportbou.cat
comicvine.gamespot.com
Sources:

Vesna,Victoria. “Lecture Part 2.” Robots + Art. 14 April. 2016. Lecture.
Vesna, Victoria. "Lecture Part 1." Robots + Art. 14 April. 2106. Lecture.
Vesna, Victoria. "Lecture Part 3." Robots + Art. 14 April. 2016. Lecture.

Vesna, Victoria. “CoLE.” CoLE. N.p.. Web. 18 Oct 2012. <https://cole.uconline.edu/~UCLA-201209-16S-DESMA-9-1
Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” Marxists. N.p.. Web. 14 April 2016. 




2 comments:

  1. Hi Eryn,

    I enjoyed your blog post. I don't totally understand your point about science fiction. Are you saying that Walter Benjamin claims that art's portrayal of robotics has often spurred on development of robotics? i.e.. we make movies about the flying cars and soon we will have a flying car?

    Paul

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  2. Hi, I think your blog catches the point with lecture content and required readings. But it is a little vague to understand the development of film and photography related to robotics.

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