Arthur Ganson on the first tenet of Buddhism

I attended the opening reception of the Move Me exhibit last night. I had the great pleasure of seeing this piece in person and hearing Arthur Ganson speak about it.

The piece features a motorized cam spinning slowly. A cam follower rests on the cam and rides its contours. Attached to the follower is a long arm which reaches across the piece, its end right next to the head of a plush, human figure. The contours of the cam cause the arm to sporadically poke the poor figure in the the back of the head. The figure can do little about. As the artist explained, the piece represents The First Noble Truth of Buddhism, which basically boils down to "there is suffering in the world". The entire thing -- not counting the hand-sewn figure -- is constructed in that inimitable Ganson style: blackened metal, whirring motor, springs, wire-formed worm and screw gears, spoked wheels, tiny spot welds, and a hint of oil. Delightful: a machine demonstrating one of the most human of concepts.

Arthur Ganson hinted we may be seeing more pieces in this theme, perhaps dealing with the other three Noble Truths. Having recently adopted a mediation practice, I for one, can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

I also had the chance to see sculptures by several other talented artist currently showing at AXIOM. I will feature more of them in the days to come.

See more about The First Noble Truth by Arthur Ganson at the Cabaret mechanical Theatre web site.

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Thoughts on Automata

What are automata on the larger scale of things?

The answer has changed over time. Initially (Heron), they were explorations into the use mechanical principles to amuse and amaze. This held true for hundreds of years, even up to the time of Jacqeut-Droz. At that point, they were meant to amuse and amaze, but there were two other roles. First, they served as advertisements for the clock-maker...to show how masterful he was at his craft and to sell more clocks and watches. Second, there was a growing mindset -- following Descarte and Newton -- that all of creation was a machine. By creating very realistic automata, I believe they hoped to learn more about the actual systems of the body -- about life. So they had something of a scientific motivation as well. Vaucanson's duck would be a prime example.

As time passed, automata continued to serve as entertainment, but to different social classes. Initally, the finest automata were shown to royalty, in the late 1800s they were high-end amusements (i.e. Robert-Houdin, Vichy, Roullet and DeChamp) and eventually came to the masses with the advent of mass production. This trend continued to the point where plastic toys are the modern day equivalent. So there is another trend from adult to child as the primary audience.

What can we say about automata in general, then? Automata are mechanical devices that have some ability to act on their own to represent living objects (people, animals, and plants).

Contemporary automata -- the type made by CMT and myself -- are a swing of the pendulum back to adults as a audience, back to hand-crafting, back to higher prices. They are not unlike comics in that they are typically funny and often make some form of social commentary. Their popularity, I believe is in their humor, the sense that they were made by a person, and that their workings are comprehensible to almost everyone. People like to laugh, to see human ingenuity, and to understand how things work. Contemporary automata are empowering in some small way.

The continuum from toy to automata has no hard dividing line. Who is it made for? How was it made? How many were made? How much does it cost? I can charge a lot more for an "automaton" than I can for a "Wooden Mechanical Toy", so there is an element of marketing spin involved.

The scientific aspect now belongs to the roboticists and the computer scientists. Where is the divide between robot and automaton? I would say simply the addition of electronics in the automaton itself.

I seems like I should makes some diagrams to show some of these concepts visually.

A Maker's Manifesto - Dave Gingerly

Formal title of the essay: Most of my life was spent in trying to figure out how to do a $50.00 project for 50 cents, and the remainder of my time was spent in trying to scrounge up the 50 cents.

My title for the essay: A Maker's Manifesto

This is great essay about how to think about making things by the late Dave Gingerly. Both logical and inspirational reading for all Makers.

Click here to read A Maker's Manifesto.