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I, ROBOT (PHASE ONE)
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An intelligent telerobotic installation by James Coupe
In collaboration with Hedley Roberts and John Williamson
I, ROBOT (PHASE ONE)
Wednesday 20th - Sunday 25th August 2002
Open 6pm-9pm Wed-Fri; Midday-6pm Sat & Sun
Opening Event: 6pm-9pm Wednesday 20th August - Arts Cafe, Toynbee Studios
Artsadmin, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS, UK
Toynbee Studios nearest tube: Aldgate East
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Telerobotics makes it possible to represent oneself in remote places through
a network. But how do others know that the robot is operated by a real
person? And how do we know that the robot is representing the world
accurately back to us?
I, Robot is a new art project that explores artificial intelligence,
physical computing and remote control. It is an installation consisting of a
social network of robots, live video streams and genetic algorithms.
For three weeks in August, Artsadmin will host I, Robot. This will culminate
in a five-day exhibition, where visitors will have the opportunity to
compete to parent robots and remotely participate in the robots' evolution
within a sealed environment.
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James Coupe is an artist who works with installation, electronics and
digital media. Recent projects have focused upon the creation of viral
systems, networked communities, remote control and tele-operative
structures. Two installations (Digital Warfare Network Project Phase One and
Digital Warfare Network Project Phase Two) have explored the relationship
between the individual body and total digital system. These installations
allow people to remotely control physical devices connected to a computer
network.
"The DWN project was initially inspired by my experience of digital
technologies combined with the spatial awareness my sculpture projects
provided. I had been interested in aesthetics of disappointment, failures of
perception, massive scale projects that could not be experienced as a whole.
Kant's description of the sublime as a conflict between our ability to
conceive something and our ability to present something was important. I am
interested in exploring unpresentable excesses which can only be represented
partially at best, making the notion of a 'beautiful' expression of it
difficult if not impossible."
"Digital Warfare Network (Project Phase Two)" was selected for "New
Contemporaries 2001", and exhibited at Camden Arts Centre. In 2002 he
received an Artsadmin Artists' Bursary, for which he has created a new
installation, "I, Robot (Phase One)", which employs genetic algorithms to
create a remote controlled robot ecosystem. "I, Robot" will also be
presented at the forthcoming ISEA 2002 in Japan. Future projects include
work with mobile positioning systems, satellites and artificial
intelligence.
He has a degree in Fine Art from Edinburgh University and an MA in Creative
Technology from Salford University. He is currently lecturer in Digital Art
at London College of Music and Media, a Faculty of Thames Valley University.
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For more information about the event, contact Mark Godber at Artsadmin: 020
7247 5102 / mark@artsadmin.co.uk
This project, as part of the Artsadmin Artists' Bursary Scheme, is supported
by the Arts Council of England, CIDA, Creative People, the Esmee Fairbairn
Foundation, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and London Arts. It is also
financially supported by the London College of Music and Media, a Faculty of
Thames Valley University.
