Antennae Issue 9, Spring 2009 ISSN 1756-9575 Mechanical Animals Massimiliano Lisa and Mario Taddei A Tribute to the King of France Carol Gigliotti Leonardo’s Choice / Artificial Life and the Live of the Non-Humans France Cadet Dog[lab]01, Ken Rinaldo In Conversation With, Metin Sitti The Evolution of Nano Robots, Minsoo Kang The Ambivalent Power of the Robot, David Bowen On Growth and Form Bjoern Schuelke Mechanic Diversity Leonel Moura Robotarium X Grant Morrison We3 Jessica Joslin Myth and Magic Matthew Chrulew The Beast-Machine Fableaux Wonderland Antennae The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture Editor in Chief Giovanni Aloi Academic Board Steve Baker Ron Broglio Matthew Brower Eric Brown Donna Haraway Linda Kalof Rosemarie McGoldrick Rachel Poliquin Annie Potts Ken Rinaldo Jessica Ullrich Advisory Board Bergit Arrends Rod Bennison Claude d’Anthenaise Lisa Brown Chris Hunter Karen Knorr Paula Lee Susan Nance Andrea Roe David Rothenberg Nigel Rothfels Angela Singer Mark Wilson & Bryndís Snaebjornsdottir Global Contributors Sonja Britz Tim Chamberlain Lucy Davies Amy Fletcher Carolina Parra Zoe Peled Julien Salaud Paul Thomas Sabrina Tonutti Johanna Willenfelt Claudia Zanfi and Gianmaria Conti 2 EDITORIAL ANTENNAE ISSUE 9 echanical Animals marks the beginning of Antennae’s third year of activity and in a number of ways, it is our most ambitious issue to date. The main theme gathers together the work of a number of artists, scientists, and academics who over the past decade have relentlessly contributed to the creating, researching, and theorising M of the cross-fields between nature and robotics. The issue resembles a journey of discovery into a fascinating alternative reality where the boundaries nature and technology are deceptively and at times disturbingly blurred. Beginning with a challenging reconstruction of one of Leonardo’s lost robots, Mechanical Animals thoroughly explores the work of ground-breaking artists Ken Rinaldo and France Cadet through a theoretical frame designed by Carol Gigliotti. The work of artists Bjoern Schuelke, Leonel Moura, David Bowen and the nano-creations of scientist Metin Sitti function as departure points from a highly original essay by Minsoo Kang which questions ideals about our emotional, imaginative, and intellectual reactions to the illusion that robots are alive or lifelike. This essay presents theories from psychology, philosophy, and history as well as contemporary theories surrounding the acceptance of robots in human cultures in creating an evolved human/machine nature. The stark multidisciplinary approach of this issue takes us to the final stage of our investigation through the work of Grant Morrison: the international leading comic writer whose seminal work We3 has set the standards for contemporary graphic novels, talks to us about his robotic-animal heroes. The uncanny sculptures of Jessica Joslin, bordering between myth and magic lead us to conclude with a fantastic steampunk fable by Matthew Chrulew. Mechanical Animals also is Antennae’s first issue to be published with the full collaboration and support of a Senior Academic Board, Advisory Board and network of Global Contributors. The contribution of all involved has been outstanding and I consider myself extremely lucky to have the opportunity to work with such talented and inspirational teams. A special ‘thank you’ goes to Ken Rinaldo, whose input to ‘Mechanical Animals’ has been most defining. Giovanni Aloi Editor in Chief of Antennae Project 3 CONTENTS ANTENNAE ISSUE 9 5 A Tribute to the King of France Researching the original documents of Leonardo and discovering new and groundbreaking evidence, Mario Taddei of the research centre Leonardo3 has relentlessly worked on the realisation of the artist’s lost robots. The result is a truly fascinating book and an international touring exhibition. Text by Massimiliano Lisa, Studies by Mario Taddei 10 Leonardo’s Choice Leonardo’s Choice: genetic technologies and animals is an edited interdisciplinary collection of twelve essays and one dialogue focusing on the use of animals in biotechnology and the profoundly disastrous effects of this use both for animals and us. We discuss animals, A-Life, the work of France Cadet, Ken Rinaldo and more with Carol Gigliotti Interview by Giovanni Aloi 17 Artificial Life and the Live of the Non-Humans Carol Gigliotti talks animals, A-life and the work of Ken Rinaldo and France Cadet. Text by Carol Gigliotti 23 France Cadet: Dog[lab]01 France Cadet, is a French Artist whose work raises questions about various aspects in science debates: danger of possible accidents, observation of animal and human behaviour, artificialisation of life, side effects of cloning... Text by France Cadet; Interviews by Sonja Britz 32 In Conversation With Ken Rinaldo Ken Rinaldo is an American artist and educator whose work focuses on interactive art installations that explore the intersection between natural and technological systems. He intends his robotic and bio-art installations to merge the organic and electro-mechanical elements seamlessly, to express a gentle symbiosis. Interview by Giovanni Aloi 42 The Evolution of Nano Robots Metin Sitti is Associate Professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and is a pioneer in nanomanufacturing, haptic interfaces, and tele-robotics. We asked him about the inspiration animals provide to his practice Interview by Paul Thomas 47 The Ambivalent Power of the Robot Minsoo Kang, questions ideals about our emotional, imaginative and intellectual reactions to the illusion that robots are alive or lifelike. This essay presents theories from psychology, philosophy, history as well as contemporary theories surrounding the acceptance of robots in human cultures in creating an evolved human/machine nature. Text by Minsoo Kang 59 David Bowen: on Growth and Form David Bowen is interested in the outcomes that occur when machines interact with the natural world. He has exhibited his work internationally and is currently Assistant Professor of Sculpture at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Text by Scott Stulen Interview by Giovanni Aloi 69 Bjoern Schuelke and Mechanic Diversity Bjoern Schuelke designs objects that playfully transform live spatial energy into active responses in sculptural form. Born form a world of stuffed animals, spaceships, unusual scientific instruments and robots, some of these pieces also employ alternative energy sources– and speak powerfully to the environmental concerns of today. Text and Interview by Julien Salaud 73 Leonel Moura: Robotarium X Robotarium X, the first zoo for artificial life, approaches robots very much in the way as we are used to look at natural life. We met with Leonel Moura to discuss his original take on robotics. Text by Leonel Moura, Interview by Paula Lee 82 Grant Morrison: Robot We3 Grant Morrison is a prolific comic writer who has tackled animal issues in a number of his stories. One of the most well known of these is We3, a three-issue comic about animal cyborgs that turn against their human creators. x Interview by Lisa Brown 88 Jessica Joslin: Myth and Magic The creatures that make up Jessica Joslin's world are specimens of unknown species, captured from the collision of myth and science. They are constructed and formed through an intricate fusion of bone, brass, antique hardware and other delicate fragments. Text by Kathleen Vanesian Interview by Lisa Brown 99 The Beast-Machine Fableaux This issue of Antennae comes to a close with an original animal philosophy-based steampunk fable by experimental writer Matthew Chrulew Text by Matthew Chrulew 4 Front Cover Image “Hunting Trophies” (deer) robot, wooden panel, 2008 France Cadet A TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF FRANCE Researching the original documents of Leonardo and discovering new and groundbreaking evidence, Mario Taddei of the research centre Leonardo3 has relentlessly worked on the realisation of the artist’s lost robots. The result is a truly fascinating book and an international touring exhibition. Text by Massimiliano Lisa, Studies by Mario Taddei Mario Taddei Frame for the mechanical lion, complete of spring engine. Leonardo3 5 "The way of making lions walk by means of wheels". s a great observer of nature, Leonardo wrote brief notes about many animals. He described On 12 July 1515, the new King of France, Francis I, made details of the lion (1) such as the fact that it A does not extend its claws until it is on its prey, his triumphant entry into Lyons. Among those who that the lioness lowers her eyes when faced with welcomed him was the Florentine community of weapons and that these animals are afraid of "the din of merchants and bankers who were assigned to work in empty carts as well as the crowing of cockerels". In the French city, which explains why Leonardo was commissioned to construct a mechanical lion. The order regard to the idea that animals have a better sense of came from the Governor of Florence, Lorenzo di Piero smell than humans, Leonardo wrote: "I have seen in the de' Medici, the backer of the community in Lyons, for lion species that the sense of smell composes part of the whom, that same year, the genius da Vinci was already brain, which descends through a large cavity towards the scent, which enters via a large number of cartilaginous designing a palace in Florence. The gesture was a tribute sacs, with many nerves leading to the brain itself'. (2) to the powerful monarch with whom Pope Leo X This description lead us to believe that Leonardo not (another member of the Medici family) wanted to form a only observed these animals directly, but that he close alliance. The lion was designed and built in dissected them. It is possible that he might have studied Florence, then sent to Lyons. This particular animal was them in Florence toward the end of 1513, when lions chosen because it represents Florence. The lilies were were kept in an enclosure behind the Palazzo della chosen, because they appear on the coats-of-arms of Signoria.