Robotics + Art, Week 3

In his book “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, Walter Benjamin talks about how today’s society has lost the authenticity in art due to industrialization and mass production systems. Benjamin believes that a reproduced artwork is never fully present because authenticity cannot be reproduced and is lost when that artwork is reproduced (Robinson). One example is that Ford cars were “mass produced” by workers who work like machines, and this puts an end to the idea of authenticity and uniqueness of the cars ("Ford"). Also, Ford’s assembly line for workers working as machines is just one example of how mass production systems influence art, culture, and how we work in general (Benjamin).

Ford's assembly line of workers

(http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=16390#)

One interesting film that can relate to the topic of mechanization would be The Imitation Game. Alan Turing, widely considered as the father of artificial intelligence, invented the Turing Machine, also known as today’s computer. Recently, a robot has passed the Turing test, deceiving human judges into thinking that he is also human (Stromberg). Instances like this induce fear in some people that robots might one day conquer the world with their growing artificial intelligence.

Benedict Cumberbatch playing the role of Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game,"

with the Turing Machine in the background

(http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Christopher-and-Turing1-1024x768.jpg)

With art, humans can better understand the true impact of robots on our society ("ArtBots"). Japan has always been famous for their state-of-the-art technology, and their most popular – robots (Kusahara). Evolve Hotel in Nagasaki will finally open to the public on July 15^th this year, with their “main staff consisting entirely of robots" ("Henn-na Hotel").

Concept of the Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki, Japan, with robots as main staff

(http://www.seejapan.co.uk/Libraries/Images/Henn-na_Hotel_10.sflb.ashx)

One example of an artwork being “mass reproduced” is Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Prints (Hatoum). Even if the artwork has lost its authenticity and uniqueness, the fact that it is mass-produced has gained many audiences’ attention and thus grew in popularity (Hatoum).

Warhol’s “mass-produced” image of Marilyn Monroe. In the website, viewers can easily edit and change colors of the background, Marilyn’s eyes, hair, skin color, etc.

(http://www.webexhibits.org/colorart/marilyns.html)

It is evident that our society responds well to industrialization and mechanization. Mechanization has influenced not just the art world but also our lives in this new age of technological advancements.

Works Cited

"ArtBots Gent, the Robot Talent Show 2011." ArtBots: The Robot Talent Show. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. 

Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. London: Penguin, 2008. Print.

Hatoum, Mona. "Andy Warhol's Marilyn Prints." Web Exhibits. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. 

"Henn-na Hotel." Henn-na Hotel. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Kusahara, Machiko. “Robotics MachikoKusahara 1.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 14 Apr. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Robinson, Andrew. "Walter Benjamin: Art, Aura and Authenticity." Ceasefire Magazine. 14 June 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Stromberg, Joseph. "A Computer Just Passed the Turing Test." Vox. 9 June 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Ford." The Evolution of Mass Production. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.