A Japanese Engineer Hijacked a Cleaning Robot and Turned it Into an Artist

posted by  RamenRyan | 7 years, 10 months ago

His name is Mr. Head. He used to be a janitor but last year he made a radical career shift. Now he’s an impressive, sought-after painter who creates abstract splatter paintings in the vein of Jackson Pollock. He tirelessly works day and night without break to create his vibrant works. Unfortunately for Mr. Head, however, he lacks the skills to explain, promote and sell his work. You see, he’s a robot.

Luckily for Mr. Head – in Japanese his name is fine but in English it unfortunately carries some sexual connotations – he has his creator to help in in the sales and promotions department. The Japanese engineer, who goes by the name HYdeJII, hijacked his Roomba cleaning robot last year and turned it into a painting robot.

“What is the aesthetic identity of a robot?” asks HYdeJII. To pursuit an answer he attached 4 different PET bottles filled with paint and connected them with tubes. He then programmed Mr. Head to move around a canvas and dribble paint.

Judging by the time-lapse video it seems like each painting requires several hours as Mr. Head begins when it’s light, works through the night, and then finishes when it’s light again. So far he’s created 2 paintings, “Spring Worm Hole,” which he made last year, and “Spring Starburst,” which he just recently completed.

Spring Worm Hole (2014) | photos by ATOM

Spring Worm Hole (detail)

“Spring Starburst” (2015) | photos by ATOM

“Spring Starburst” (detail)

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