INTENTION MACHINES/PRAYING ROBOTS

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Emory Douglas

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This was an exhibit of 8 life-size praying robots dressed in the clothes of people who have profoundly affected my life. Exhibited at the Catherine Clark Gallery.

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F8IMTEhGpg&feature=youtu.be

Paired with photographs, sound and video of the sun and moon during peak moments (such as sun spots, solar flares, blue moons, and eclipses), I tie nature to spiritualism. This work is inspired by my 18 year study of Zen and Taoist thought
Can I build an interface to trigger robots that can read viewers’ “auras,
vibe or character”? Can a robot respond to ones individuality? Is
spirituality or souls quantifiable? Can one crowd-source energy to
trigger the robots?

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SOME press from the Intention Machines Exhibit;

http://www.sfgate.com/art/article/Kal-Spelletich-s-mystical-robots-intended-to-6202910.php

http://technabob.com/blog/2015/03/27/praying-robots/

http://laughingsquid.com/intention-machines-an-upcoming-san-francisco-exhibition-of-praying-robots-created-by-kal-spelletich/

https://news.yahoo.com/praying-robots-150507949.html

http://sfaq.us/2015/03/poetic-kinetics-or-intentional-imperfection/
“We have run in fear from the San Francisco mad-scientist’s widely acclaimed fire-ensconcing robotic art, which brought us too close to the dystopian realities of our real world–where art and life collide in anxiety-provoking, sensory rabbit-holes in which technology and terror machines run amok.”

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Closing party, THIS SATURDAY, MAY 23 even though the exhibit does not come down until Sat. May 30.

Chris Johanson who will make a special guest appearance at the turntables.

With a “musical” performance with Tom Greenwood of Jackio-O-Motherfucker from 3 – 5 pm featuring Spelletich’s robots. Tom and I will be mic’ing my robots and making some wonderful sounds.

Catharine Clark Gallery.

248 Utah Street San Francisco, CA 94103

415.399.1439 m. 415.519.1439

SOME PHOTOS AND INFO.

www.cclarkgallery.com

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On Thursday, May 14, from 5 – 7 pm, Spelletich and Alistair Shanks, a Buddhist chaplain who has worked with the Zen Hospice Project and in the San Francisco County Jail system, will give a talk entitled, “”Robots and Mystical Transformations: Can technology help us address spiritual questions and crises?” An electric array of music DJ’d by Shanks and Spelletich will follow.  The exhibit will close on Saturday, May 23 with a musical performance from 3 – 5 pm featuring Spelletich’s robots, as well as Bay Area painter, street artist and performer Chris Johanson who will make a special guest appearance at the turntables. Musician and sound artist Tom Greenwood will collaborate with Spelletich experimenting with sounds produced from the robots to produce a soundscape with Johanson.

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Overheard at the opening;

The figures are brimming with humanity, earnestness and

humor. Their movement so as more than real.

The totally light touch of mechanics and domesticity setting them in place

 gives them miles of breath.

And no joke.

It threw me for a loop I gotta say.

Big wow there!!

I really felt it was unlike anything –

the conjuring and honoring.

I felt the spectral printed images on the walls spoke like abstract Tantric forms that hold the spirits of specific entities.

 

Several special collaborative events will take place as part of Spelletich’s exhibit. On Saturday, May 2, from 7 – 10 pm, artMRKT San Francisco will co-host an after-party at Catharine Clark Gallery in conjuction with the art fair festivities at Fort Mason. Kal Spelletich will join with artist-musicians Scott Hewicker, Alicia McCarthy and Paul Kos for a night of DJ’d music and cocktails poured by Spelletich’s robots. On Thursday, May 14, from 5 – 7 pm, Spelletich and Alistair Shanks, a Buddhist chaplain who has worked with the Zen Hospice Project and in the San Francisco County Jail system, will give a talk entitled, “Robots and Mystical Transformations: Can Technology Help Address Spiritual Questions and Crises?” An electric array of music DJ’d by Shanks and Spelletich will follow. The exhibit will close on Saturday, May 23 with a musical performance from 3 – 5 pm featuring Spelletich’s robots, as well as Tom Greenwood from Jackie O Motherfucker and  Bay Area painter, street artist and performer Chris Johanson who will make a special guest appearance at the turntables.

 

Opening on Saturday, April 11th 2015, from 5 – 7 pm.

at

Catharine Clark Gallery 248 Utah Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 TEL 415.399.1439 www.cclarkgallery.com

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Mark Pauline

 

Les Blank

Martha Wilson

Being a news junkie, I follow the daily news. But as the years go by

my amazement and disgust grows and frustrates me. Will this planet

ever figure it out? Maybe praying robots will.

 

Prayer Wheel

The robots will be triggered by the audience via sensors that read

their auras, vibe, heartbeat, and interference. The robots react from

sensory experience and input; they do not use a computer brain. They

demonstrate to us a new way to instill consciousness.

The praying actions performed by the robots will be kneeling,

genuflecting, prostrating, whirling dervish, overhead hand clasp, head

bow, wailing wall head banger . . .

Not that there won’t be just a small bit of humor in these sometimes

twitching jerky robots praying.

 

Praying Hand-Karana

Video here: http://youtu.be/S6zExDnuTs8

In my own way I see this work as life support for the planet and a way to tackle the relationship between religion and belief, technology and science.

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