Through its newest exhibition, “Life Imagined – The Art and Science of Automata,” Science Museum Oklahoma takes visitors on a whimsical tour of mechanical creations from 1850 to modern day. From now until September, Oklahoma Christian University students and faculty can learn how automata became the foundation for advancements in industrial robotics.
According to the Science Museum Oklahoma website, “from the Greek word automatos, meaning ‘moves on its own,’ automata are the first complex machines produced by man. Long before robots were the reality they are today, automata were created as an attempt to simulate nature and domesticate natural forces. These attempts to imitate life by mechanical means and the use of these principles have in turn resulted in the evolution of technology over centuries.”
“Translational motion has always been a fascination, and automata are pinnacle examples of the physics of this movement coming to life,” Sherry Marshall, president of the Science Museum Oklahoma, said. “The beauty and intricacy of gears, levers and springs seamlessly working together provide an artistic reveal of very complex motions. ‘Life Imagined’ allows us to get a close-up glimpse of these fantastic machines inspiring the imaginations of us all.”
For this exhibition, smART Space features 41 works by 15 artists from around the world. Contemporary artists featured in the show include Cecilia Schiller, Bradley N. Litwin, Laura Zelaya, Wanda Sowry, Randall Cleaver, Jim Casey and Chris Fitch. The show also features two digital installations by Elizabeth King and Server Demirtas.
The various automata on exhibit are as “eclectic as their artists” and include subject matter ranging from a towering birdhouse occupied by a cowbird chick to a man rowing a boat while a fish leaps out of “water” and a tribute to the “Day of the Dead.” In the contemporary pieces, the mechanics take center stage and are as fascinating as the actions they create.
The exhibition also explores the history of automata throughout time and showcases automata from the early 19th century on loan from the Guinness Collection of Automata, courtesy of the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ. While the contemporary pieces allow the mechanics to take center stage, earlier pieces tended to conceal an automata’s mechanic, preferring to instill a sense of mystery and wonder in the audience.
Alyson Atchison, associate curator for smART Space, said she hopes her enthusiasm for automata is contagious.
“It is truly fascinating to see life-like movement mimicked in these works of art,” Atchison said. “These artists have not just created something that reflects life and nature, but they have captured the spirit and cadence of natural movement. The articulation of a fish as it jumps for a fly, or a bird as it sings, these sculptures come to life and reflect the world around us.”
“Life Imagined – The Art and Science of Automata” will be open through Sept. 29, 2019, and is included with general admission.
“It’s exciting to bring artwork of this genre to Oklahoma City for an up-close and personal chance to explore it,” Atchison said. “My hope is that avid fans of automata will come to appreciate the artwork included in this exhibit, while other people will be introduced to the genre for the first time and become appreciators.”
Science Museum Oklahoma is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Daily general admission is $15.95 for adults (ages 13 to 64) and $12.95 for children and seniors (ages 3 to 12 and 65 and older). Annual memberships begin at $105.
The information above comes from a Science Museum Oklahoma press release.
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