Meet Buchi, a robot that explores the gallery space at Metro Arts in it’s own sweet time. But there’s only one thing, Buchi has a limited time of exploration due to the fact that this current exhibition only runs until the 23rd of September.

 

If you’re wondering around the city and wondering what to do with your time, this could be the right exhibition for you, just remember you’ll have to climb your way up to Level 2 to see the gallery space. Shake off your day-to-day mindset and simply immerse yourself in this quiet but carefully constructed environment. When you listen to the ambience of the space, don’t be surprised if you suddenly hear Skype calling, or a voice repeating “0…1…0…1”, which all happen to play at irregular time intervals, so don’t rush anywhere too soon.

 

All these subtle details allow you to escape into an environment that we may not have ever been aware of. The X-Y Plotter or the “Robotic Zen Garden” quietly and intuitively creates patterns and essentially “doodles” in the sand, all on it’s own. Given that the robotic constructions in this particular space all have their own unique rhythm it would definitely be a good idea to take your time and enjoy the unpredictable movements and moments that surround you.

 

Ultimately the exhibition asks the viewer to go deeper. Technology is full of surprises and although we can control elements of it, perhaps we can’t fully access or control it after all. As evidently shown by the robotic zen garden, it glides independently yet intuitively back and forth, and creates it’s own art in a way. Technology isn’t as entirely mechanical as we once thought, and perhaps we humans need to doodle in our own zen garden, and find our own peace, before we turn as mechanical as any other robotic construction.

 

The exhibition also features t-shirts that hang throughout the space, with intricate patterns covering them - the artist making their creative statement on them. Join in for the listening party and artist talk on 20 September 5:30pm for more information on this creatively curated exhibition.

 

By Joanna Letic