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| Robots in Movies (Transformers) |
Contrary to popular belief, the
relationship between robotics and art is mutual: both counterparts further
the advancements of the other. As Vesna said in this week’s lecture, the idea
of the robot stemmed from the arts (specifically theater and then movies). We
have used art to inspire our robotic advancements and in return, have used
robots to bring art to a new, supernatural realm. For instance, the movie Transformers follows the plot of supernatural robot cars – autobots
and decepticons who have sought refuge on earth (Plot). This idea of robots in
art (and this case movies) makes us question our existence as humans and where
we stand with the developing technologies – will they ultimately have the power
to overtake us?
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| LACMA participates in "Open Content Program" (Jordan) |
With these technological advancements
and ability to mass reproduce, many critics have argued that we have lost an
aspect of originality and tradition in our works. Walter Benjamin made the
claim that art is no longer unique and authentic. He believes the era of mass
production has stripped away the meaning behind a piece – especially photography
(Vesna). However, I believe Benjamin failed to acknowledge the benefits. For
example, new programs have been put into place such as the “Open Content
Program” that makes digital art free to the public in hopes to foster artistic
awareness, appreciation, and accessibility (Open). This universality is special
because it allows for greater discussion, analysis, and study of art and rather
breeds a new perspective and authenticity. Places like The Getty, National Gallery
of Art, Rijksmuseum, Walters Art Museum, Yale University and LACMA have adopted
the “Open Content Program” for this purpose (Kuan). Art is something to be shared
among all people; it is a uniform language that unifies all and is ultimately beneficial
to be widely shared.
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| Autonomous Car (Extreme) |
Although industrialization and robotics on
the surface seem to take away from the originality and humanity behind art, it
is rather an accurate portrayal of our times. Paint and paper are no longer the
only means to express ourselves – rather it can be done in multiple ways –
some of which are also furthering society. Take the idea of an autonomous car,
where Britain is the world leader in adopting this form of transportation (Britain). The design of the robot car and every aspect
of its shape and look is grounded in art. In this age, robotics is ubiquitous,
however, as is art.
References
"Britain Leads the World
in Putting Driverless Vehicles on the Roads." The Telegraph.
Telegraph kkkkMedia Group. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Extreme Tech. It's 2015, Self Driving Cars are More Than Just a Promise. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Jordan, Chris. Urban Lights. 2008. LACMA. Metro. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Extreme Tech. It's 2015, Self Driving Cars are More Than Just a Promise. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Jordan, Chris. Urban Lights. 2008. LACMA. Metro. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Kuan, Christine. “Artsy,
Technology, and the Power of Public Access”. Princeton University. 26 jjjjjJune 2014.
"Open Content Program |
About the Getty." The Getty. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
"Plot Summary
Transformers." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Tansformers. Black Film Reads.Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Tansformers. Black Film Reads.Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
Vesna, Victoria. “CoLE.” CoLE. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
I really enjoyed your piece, while acknowledging the points of Vesna and Benjamin, you provided a new perspective through the mentioning of 'open art.' In a sense, Benjamin's ideas are outdated because perhaps he did not accept open art as a 'true' form of art, or perhaps overlooked it in his research. I definitely agree that perhaps Benjamin's perspective on art reproduction is a bit behind the times, and while it is something to be aware of, as you said, art should be spread to everyone. For instance, art now can be viewed online from all over the world, even if someone doesn't have the ability to actually travel there.
ReplyDeleteCool post. I think you brought up good point about technology forcing us to question our existence. I think it also questions our notions on personhood, consciousness, and morality.(in the context of transformers). The autobots had the choice to save the humans, despite losing their homeworld and being more advanced than human civilization.
ReplyDelete