Oribotics [dublin]

Oribotics [dublin]

Artbots 2008

19th - 20th September, Science Gallery, Dublin.



Background


ArtBots has been on my radar as the coolest place around to show your robotic art, since I started making bots in 2003, however it was not until after of Oribotics [network] was completed that I considered my work suitable for submission to ArtBots 2008.



I created Oribotics [network] with international exhibition in mind. The work is deliberately portable in size and packing. It could travel as hand luggage – if bizarre shaped metal parts would actually make it through airport screenings in the present state heightened of security measures – and so shipping is not a major problem or expense.
The timing of Artbots was perfect, just 10 days prior to the start of my artist residency at the Stiftung Künstlerdorf in Germany, so I could buy one plane ticket to do the whole trip.



I submitted my application to Artbots and waited, and as the date of announcement approached, I grepped (grep is a unix command line tool used for searching in text files) the logs of my website and it revealed that a number of IP addresses within Trinity, and Colombia University, had viewed the application, this was a positive sign.
Then I noticed that the referring URL (now inactive) was a complete list of all the submitted projects. I followed the link and a quick glance over the projects made my heart drop, there were so many amazing submissions, and a cloud of doubt invaded my confidence... Would they select my work?



Of course they would, and I awoke on the 9th June to an email informing me of my selection in the show. I was ecstatic! Perhaps the butterfly effect of my singing of sweet molly malone in the streets of St Kilda was beneficial after all. I was going to Dublin!


Matthew Gardiner, October 2008

Oribotics [dublin]

Artbots 2008

Thanks to Douglas Repetto, staff at the Science Gallery, and Trinity College Dublin.

Supported by a Professional Development Grant from the Australian Network for Art and Technology.

We acknowledge the Wuthaurong people on whose lands we live and work. Sovereignty was never ceded and we pay our respect to past, present, and future Aboriginal elders and community, and to their long and rich history of artmaking on this Country.