Frankenstein Theory and Robotics

My friend Kal Spelletich of SEEMEN has currated an amazing group show called “Frankenstein Theory and Robotics” which opens this Wednesday, June 14th. The show takes place in two galleries in San Francisco, Rx Gallery and Bar of Contemporary Art (BOCA), which are about 2 1/2 blocks away from each other. Here’s more on the show from Violet Blue over at Metroblogging San Francisco.

Like the scientist mixing two chemicals in a test tube and observing a reaction, or the Golem, these artists are taking disparate found objects and making them come alive, move and react to you. This exhibit features highly elaborate machines and robots that are purposefully non- functional. They have turned on consumerism and capitalism. They are tweaking Asimov’s theories for robots, are these artists now the Frankensteins? Dr. Frankenstein’s original idea was probably altruistic, much like oh, EXON, Walmart, or the US government. How and or when do you realize that a system is broke? Is technology serving us or are we serving it? Does man ruin Frankenstein or is he (Frankenstein) inherently evil?