Event 3: Color, Light, Motion- Toni Dove

On May 28, I attended a lecture from guest speaker Toni Dove. Put simply, she builds automatons that tell stories. Through examining different pieces, she was able to interpret the meanings behind some abstract examples of art that use color, motion, and sound to evoke emotion from lifeless objects. 

We began by looking at a piece called The Lasso. The exhibit depicts a spinning contraption that emits sounds. What was notable about this piece was its scale; in that it was almost human-sized. This, along with its motion and sounds, gave it an evocative nature. She then explained the phenomena of the uncanny valley. This occurs when a non-human object displays features and has the form of a human. This creates a sense of empathy, yet its differences from actual humans simultaneously gives the object a repelling nature and makes the viewer feel a sense of uncomfortability. In the Lasso, this uncanny valley phenomenon occurred in that the display had an insect-like quality about it, nonetheless, we are aware it is merely a configuration of mechanical pieces. [2]

Another piece that stook out to me in having this same quality was Petit Homme. It was created by Fabian Sanchez in 1985, and depicts a robotic, man-like figure moving around. As Toni Dove noted, its movement, in itself, gives it the sense of having proprioception. It creates a dynamic narrative experience without needing words to express a story. [3] To truly expand on this idea of movement creating a sense of life; she discussed Roto I, which depicts a feather attached to a motor that moves in a pattern that emulates a living thing. 

Another theme that Toni Dove intends to make note of is our strange and increasingly dependent relationship with a digital world. She believes that as we are split between a digital and analog world, it becomes difficult to manage; and often produces questionable results. This was noted in one of her works Lucid Possession, where the subject uploads an avatar of her physical body and bears the unforeseen consequences of its digital popularity. [1]

I found her art and this entire field of works to be thought-provoking and surprisingly topical to many issues that we face as we delve deeper into a digital world.


Images Cited

[1] Dove, Toni. “The Dress That Eats Souls: A Robot In Progress.” Lucid Possession Category, 1 May 2016, https://tonidove.com/category/lucid-possession/.

[2] “Petit Homme.” David Bermant Foundation, 27 Nov. 2021, https://davidbermantfoundation.org/project/petit-homme/?portfolioCats=30%2C39.

[3] “Roto I.” David Bermant Foundation, 27 Nov. 2021, https://davidbermantfoundation.org/project/roto-i/?portfolioCats=30%2C39. 





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