PROPEL: BODY ON ROBOT ARM and

PROPEL: EAR ON ROBOT ARM

PROPEL: BODY ON ROBOT ARM and PROPEL: EAR ON ROBOT ARM is a performance where the body's trajectory, velocity and position/orientation in space was choreographed by a 6 degree-of-freedom industrial robot arm operating within a 3m diameter task envelope. The choreography generates rhythm by repetition by intermittently looping sequences of motion.

Resulting sounds of the robot motors register the motion and speed, acoustically amplifying the choreography. The programming was done off-line then transferred to the robot controller. The performance was done with one of the programmers having his thumb on the kill switch, in case the robot did something unexpectedly. The body and the robot become one interactive and aesthetic operational and performing system.

The performance was monitored and documented with cameras mounted on, above and around the robot.

When the 30 min performance was completed, the artist was replaced by a body size sculpture of the artist’s scanned ear. The robot that choreographs the ear is the same robot that carved it. 

Originally, the intention was to perform in the Lawrence Wilson Gallery for an afternoon, then attach the ear on the robot arm and allow it to repeat the choreography for the remainder of the exhibition. Because the gallery’s concrete floor could not support the weight of ABB IRB 6640 robot the performance occurred at Autronics, the company where the robot was located. Video documentation with the ear sculpture and the body support structure were exhibited.

Performance: 29 September, 2015
DeMonstrable exhibition: 3 October - 5 December 2015

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Robot Programming – Hayden Brown, James Boyle, Autronics

Design & Production – Paul Caporn

Producer & Director of Video – Steven Aaron Hughes

Photographers –Jeremy Tweddle, Jennette Weber

Special Thanks to Jim Tweddle, Wintech Engineering, Peter Bradbury, ABB Australia Pty Ltd and Oron Catts, SymbioticA.

The work was supported by SymbioticA as part of the DeMonstrable Exhibition, curated by Oron Catts with Elizabeth Stephens and Jennifer Johung with the assistance of the Australia Council.