What is the Senseless Drawing Bot? Takahiro Yamaguchi & So Kanno

2 min read
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot

Introduction

The Senseless Drawing Bot by the two Japanese Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno explores the relationship between machine and art and was shown at the exhibition “UTOPIA no OSHIRASE” in Tokyo in October 2011.

What the device does

The Senseless Drawing Bot is a self-propelling device on a skateboard that sprays abstract linework on a stretch of a wall using a double pendulum. Extrapolating the dynamism of modern graffiti forms, the robot takes advantage of the chaotic gestures of the swinging pendulum to create erratic yet organic paint strokes.

How it was made

Featuring a motorized skateboard base, the construction consists of a single-arm equipped with a rotary encoder attached to the pendulum’s fulcrum. As the robot moves from side to side, the swinging motion of the arm is amplified through the physics of inertia, which is delineated by a quick release of paint from the spray can. The resulting collage of lines is a complex illustration derived from a simple operation.

Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-device.
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-device.
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-device.
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot

Photos

Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-1-1
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-1-6
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-1-6
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-2011
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot, 2011, photo: Yohei Yamakami
Takahiro-Yamaguchi-and-So-Kanno-–-Senseless-Drawing-Bot-2011-Grand-Palais-Paris-2018
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot, 2011, Grand Palais, Paris, 2018, photo: Anne-Laure Faubert

Video

YouTube video
1 min 35 sec

Senseless Drawing Bot #2

The second version of the Senseless Drawing Bot released by Japanese artist duo Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno comes with a very similar concept and a few technical changes.

Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot #2
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot #2
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot #2
Takahiro Yamaguchi and So Kanno – Senseless Drawing Bot #2

 

All images by Takahiro Yamaguchi & So Kanno unless otherwise noted.

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