Art-2-D2

ROBOTS, AS WE all know, will eventually learn to think for themselves and overthrow their flesh-and-bone creators in a bloody futuristic battle.

By Adam Zacharias

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Mon 23 Feb 2009, 10:25 PM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 11:28 PM

In February 2009 though, mankind continues to celebrate all things mechanical - as witnessed at the ‘My Name Is Robot’ art exhibition in the Jam Jar Gallery, Al Quoz.

The diverse and fanciful show, which billed itself as “the UAE’s first custom designer toy exhibition”, saw some of the region’s brightest creative talents converge - including artists, illustrators, photographers, advertising agencies, fashion designers, graphic designers and jewellers.

The centrepiece of the show, held by art and design collective “robotandspark”, rested on a miniature army of identical 10-inch tall toy robots. Thirty-five contributors each received a robot prior to the show, and were then challenged to turn it into a highly individual piece of artwork.

Vivek Premachandran, a graphic artist from Sharjah, came up with ‘Mojo Meta’ - a piece inspired by existentialist thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Derrida. “No one has done this in Dubai before; this is history in the making,” said Vivek, referring to the unusual nature of the exhibition. Art director Amritraj Gupta came up with the colourful yet deadly ‘Robot Kalki’. His piece gave a nod to Hindu mythology, as Kalki is the deity Vishnu’s final avatar when he comes to destroy earth. Hussain Moloobhoy and Clare Napper, representing world-renowned advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, named their robot ‘Midas’ after the infamous Greek king.

“We wondered if there was any robot that could save the planet from its current situation,” said Clare. “Anything Midas touches turns to gold,” Hussain told City Times, adding that one of the first things the robot touched after arriving on earth was a frog named Salamander.

‘My Name Is Robot’ ends today. For more information, visit www.robotandspark.com or www.mynameisrobot.org.

adam@khaleejtimes.com


More news from