K E N   R I N A L D O

Symbiont


"Do Robots Dream of Spring?" or "Les robots rêvent-ils du printemps?" is the title of Ken Rinaldo's 6-month, mid-career retrospective exhibition opening September 18, 2010 at Maison d'Ailleurs, Musée de la science-fiction, de l'utopie et des voyages extraordinaires in Switzerland, and closing March 7, 2011.



"Augmented Fish Reality" (fish driven robots), 2008

His retrospective will feature over 25 custom built robots including the installations: "Autopoiesis", "The Augmented Fish Reality (fish driven robots)", "The Autotelematic SpiderBots", "Our Daily Dread", "The Paparazzi Bots" (robots chase you and take your photo if you smile). Ken will also present two, newly commissioned works created in 2010. A 65-page color catalog with opening essays by the science fiction author Bruce Sterling and author director Patrick Gyger, will be available at the exhibition.


"Autotelematic Spider Bots," 2006
Video of the artist talking about the project
and the interactive spider bots in action:
http://www.osu.edu/features/2006/rinaldo/



"Paparazzi Bots" at Transmediale, 2009 
Read about how they were made under "production": http://www.paparazzibot.com/index.html
Video of bots with artist talking about project: http://www.paparazzibot.com/gallery/
videogallery1/index1/video001.html



glass "stomach" in image above
is part of "The Enteric Consciousness", 2010

One of Ken's newly commissioned works is "The Enteric Consciousness," an installation focused on the human enteric nervous system. It features a robotic chair shaped into a massive tongue. The tongue-chair is activated by natural bacteria that live in all our stomachs, called Lactobacillus Acidopholus and they will pass through a glass stomach to an artificial small intestine where they are monitored with micro-processors. If the bacteria are happy and growing and their PH is within healthy limits, when you sit on the chair, it will automatically recline and give you a deep soothing massage. Also part of this installation are large steel dopamine molecules supporting glass bell jars filled with dark chocolate. Large, red, robotic tongues will be dipping into and out of the chocolate as interactants receive their relaxing tongue massage. This work is concerned with our microbiome and the symbiotic relationships humans share with bacteria. It also proposes a new form of interactive robotic installation that involves direct touch and smell.

Website: http://www.kenrinaldo.com

Bio:

New Media installation artist, Ken Rinaldo, explores the intersection of biology and technology and the interdependence between biological systems, humanity and an emerging robotics species. He has been commissioned and or displayed his work at: the La Maison d'Ailleurs Switzerland, Vancouver Olympics Canada, Transmediale Germany, World Ocean Museum in Russia, Biennale of Electronic Arts Australia, Exit Festival France, ARCO Arts Festival Spain. Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art Finland,  AV Festival England  and Lille 2004 European Capital of culture.

Rinaldo was recipient of an Award of Distinction in 2004 at Ars Electronica Austria and first prize for Vida 3.0 Madrid for his work Autopoiesis and a Green Leaf Award from the Natural World Museum and the United Nations Environment Program for the collaborative project "The Farm Fountain." His works has been reviewed in art publications including: the New York Arts Magazine, Art and Electronic Media by Edward Shanken, Art + Science by Steve Wilson, Digital Art by Christiane Paul, From Technological to Virtual Art by Frank Popper, Circa Magazine in Ireland, and Wired Magazine in San Francisco. His works have been reviewed on TV and Radio in over 20 countries including the BBC, CNET and the Know Zone.

Rinaldo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art at The Ohio State University directing the Art & Technology program teaching interactive installation robotics, 3D modeling and animation, rapid-prototyping and interaction design.