Monthly Archives: December 2016

Llawn Festival Llandudno

llandudnoprom

Today’s view of the Llandudno promenade, North Wales.

I am here invited by Llawn04 Festival (Llawn = full in Welsh) in their own words:, “The Llandudno Art Weekend – LLAWN – a whole weekend of free events along the Promenade and across various venues and spaces in Llandudno. There’ll be performance, street-games, music, robot-making, dance, visual-art, film and the unexpected all inspired by this year’s theme of Hide/Seek.”

The festival is totally packed with an eclectic collection of engaging events, all free! Do come along with friends and families!

Bobby wearing Tech Head

Bobby wearing Tech Head

For regulars to this patchy blog, it will be pretty obvious that I have something to do with the robot-making mentioned in Llawn’s promo blurb. I will run a free Wrekshop on Saturday and Sunday 10:30 to 18:00, open to all people above 7 years of age and not wearing flip flops.

mofokbmanchester

Also on show a short performance for the opening of the festival. Usual suspects robotic ears, bird and Mofo have travelled in their cavernous suitcase and will stretch their circuits in Oriel Mostyn Gallery on Friday at 19:30.

comboverJoCatalogueSm

And good old Combover Jo will have a chat with anyone walking down the tube in Oriel Mostyn for the next 3 weeks.

Combover Jo vs D. Trump

Ok, here we go, my turn to trump.

I was doing some software adjustments on my new robot Combover Jo in Manchester Art Gallery today and one of the invigilators told me that the robot was nick-named Donald Trump by the team. I think it is unfair.

comboverTrump

comboverJoCatalogueSm

The Imitation Game – performance

As part of The Imitation Game exhibition, I performed with a selection of my little robotic sidekicks in Manchester Art Gallery, Thursday 10th March at 7PM. The show was called:

MAGPerfTitielScreen

Official blurb:

“Paul Granjon explores the co-evolution of humans and machines with robotic installations such as I Am Robot, presented here, but also with small machines made especially for live performances.
On March 10th he will deliver a performance-lecture including a selection of hand-made machines and cyborg songs, as well as up-to-date views on humans and robots. A one-off chance for visitors to catch up with Granjon and his robotic sidekicks live!”

perfFBPic

The gig went well, attended by a nice crowd, the machines almost did not glitch and I possibly sang less off-key than usual. Mofo and Combover Jo made a new young friend, who I wish will live to see a future where humans and friendly artificial creatures share the planet in a totally environmentally responsible and non-profit-driven fashion :>))

amyAndC-Jo2016-03-10

 

Robots and Dogs

Boston Dynamics posted a new video of their quadruped robot Spot, this time accompanied by a cute biological quadruped terier. So far the two species do not seem to get along too well…

Which confirms the findings of this older experiment with an Aibo and a German Shepherd (2006).

The Imitation Game

Getting ready for The Imitation Game, a group exhibition in Manchester Art Gallery where 8 artists explore the theme of machines and the imitaion of life. More details here.

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I was commissioned to make a new robot installation called Am I Robot for the show, still in the finishing stages in my Cardiff studio. I am looking forward to the show the features classic works by Lynn Hershman and Mari Velonaki (pictured), as well as several new pieces by Ed Atkins, Tove Kjellmark, Yu-Chen Wang and more…

Opens 12th February.