Artist: Antonio Barbieri
Opera: Automata
Materials: Stampa 3D sls, tpu, ferro, nylon, acciaio, pelle.
Dim: 150 x 60 x 60 cm
Year: 2023
Plant-automatons made of leather move, interacting with the public in a sort of dance, phytomorphic elements that seek their own nature halfway between technology and artisan tradition.
Self-propelled sculptures that range between masterful technical exercise and the magic of constructs with an intrinsic artistic value.
A series of elements take up the centuries-old tradition linked to Automata or animatronics in the modern sense.
The Automatron has its roots in the philosophical concept of Machanicism, a concept that finds its intimate nature in the modern era.
The work aims to contrast the cold idea of "machine" with that of "wonder" understood as a different light on the concept of technological development and on the integration that can and must exist between artisan tradition and the industrial revolution.
The focus of the project is to create objects with a high degree of complexity that use leather in a different declination than usual. The organic shapes adapt very well to the type of plasticity given by this material and the declination of the same into something totally unexpected can add wonder and mystery to the narrative and the imagination of the public present.
Leather is a material that is not normally used for this type of creation and for this very reason it can be an element of strength, an example of research and development on the infinite variations of an ancient material that can provide non-trivial ideas, both technical level that is merely visual and tactile.
As regards the technical part, these are some simple hybrid mechanical/electronic systems to make these sculptures move fluidly (thanks to the use of electronic elements connected to servomotors and cable systems to allow complex movements). This technical level was possible thanks to the invaluable support of Giorgio Linea and the partners who immediately believed in the project. The intervention of Promel for the creation of accurate 3D prints that make up a large part of the structure and that of Bce Luce for the hardware/software part, was decisive for the complex technical realization of the project.
In addition to the technical partners and Giorgio Linea, who transformed into a "creative hub" for the occasion, I would like to underline the role of Marika Tardio Studio, who was entrusted with the creative direction of the Giorgio Linea stand for Lineapelle Fair 2023, thanks to their confidence in my research I was able to have total carte blanche.
The most delicate and complex part was the transformation of simple mechanical elements into real animated sculptures. Thanks to the technical skills of Giorgio Linea's workers, it was possible to create unique elements, created with a skilful blend of technology and craftsmanship. What emerged is the fusion of different visions that give life to a truly interactive installation that intrigues and surprises the viewer but which has multiple levels of interpretation.
