ARTIST: Mark Malmberg
TITLE: Proto
MATERIALS: Carbon Fiber, Acrylic, Silicon Solar Cells, Electronics.
DIMENSIONS: 30" x 40"
DATE: 2007
DESCRIPTION: "Proto" is the prototype for a series of solar-powered robotic mobiles which generate their own motion and sounds. This piece is built from ultra-lightweight carbon fiber tubing and solid carbon fiber rods, and uses servo motors and a propeller to move itself about. The tiny sounds it makes reflect its thought process and energy state.
STATEMENT: Over many years as a computer animation artist, I specialized in modeling motion that emulated the richness of nature, using algorithmic approaches such as "dynamics" and "flocking". As a mobilist, I'm using these concepts to generate similar complexities in the physical world, from which emerge endlessly evolving music and motion. The self-propelled mobiles generate electricity with onboard solar panels, powering microprocessors, servo motors and propellers, giving them the ability to move and make sounds in an improvisational fashion. My current work-in-progress incorporates Bluetooth to allow multiple suspended elements to communicate and coordinate, eventually revealing group behaviors. The piece shown here was the first prototype or "proof-of-concept" for this project. My mobiles stand on their own as kinetic studies, but also are intended to bring awareness of the unlimited availability of the sun to answer our growing energy needs.
CONTACT:
Mark Malmberg
Orinda, CA
mmmalmberg AT comcast.net
http://www.markmalmberg.com/