Pixel Oddity Set I
created in Painting I
2018
I've taken to calling these strange robot characters "Pixel Oddities"
Inspired by Bowie's "Space Oddity", they are about life being what one makes of it, and can be interpreted in relation to technology's play in that...
To me they symbolize the junction of technology and humanity
Endurance
A call to curiosity and charting one's journey
A representation of regeneration and renewal
They are about being receptive to new perspectives
There's always something out there to discover, something that will brighten someone's day somewhere
As much as technology has connected humanity, it is our humanity that allows us to connect
In these days of "automation everywhere", these days of 24 hour news cycles and adds fed to us by algorithms - perhaps one could say, the numbing power of technology,
I believe this is vital to keep in mind
to respect the solitude and sovereign of one's soul
Space sick? just think of the spark that the moment holds, what tomorrow could bring
What can we do to make this world a bit brighter?...because eyes need light to see...
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Nearly forgot, so dropping this in now, but before getting into the details on each piece, here's a note on the history of the word "Robot" (from Wiki, I want to do more research on it though):
The term comes from a Czech word, robota, meaning "forced labor"; the word 'robot' was first used to denote a fictional humanoid in a 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti - Rossum's Universal Robots) by the Czech writer, Karel Čapek but it was Karel's brother Josef Čapek who was the word's true inventor.
As George Orwell says, "Freedom is Slavery", eh? -Komo, 4/24/20
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Astronaut Sight
(right, the completely blue one) This one was created first and the title is also inspired by Bowie's "Space Oddity" song. Its central themes are self discovery and power in mental and social reflection and connection. I was not initially thinking of the song with its making, but the pose of looking to some far off destination made met think of the song's theme of being shot into space. Also, after "planet earth is blue and there's nothing I can do" there's this riff that seems to be its antithesis, at least in my mind.
I also think of this one in the context of Talking Heads song "Once in a Lifetime" due to the water-like and "oscillative" properties of the blue pattern (I recently noticed it ironically resembles the "$"). This song also references blue, but morso as a reprieve from the world ("into the blue again, after the money's gone", "Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground") and its "life achievement" and/or economical forces and stresses. But it also harkens to getting lost in space, and possibly on a stronger note, what one wants in life (a beautiful house, large automobile, beautiful wife - or not). There's this self-reflexive phrase that also reflects on society "How did I get here?". The song ironically hints at a deeper philosophy (motivation and attainment) than its surface advertising rhetoric may seem to hold ("you may ask yourself, you may tell yourself" - its like the singer is playing an announcer).
Architect Visit
(left) The red/pink one to the right is called "Architect Visit". I kept with the Bowie connection. It reminds me of "Oh You Pretty Things" by Bowie, "All the strangers came today, and it looks as though they're here to stay". The orbs are meant to give an impression of spaceships, possibly the alien invaders the song refers to. Honestly I think the idea came before pairing it with the song, but partway through working on it, I made that connection and also thought to arrange the bricks/figure like Bowie's "Rites of Spring" costume by Kansai Yamamoto.
Maybe there's also something to the Talking Heads "More Songs about Buildings and Food" here (or at least the images of the band members in building material costumes). Perhaps this piece is also about sustenance in a way, the eye in the hand can be interpreted as an "eye shaped heart" (but that glowing space at the robots center reminds me of iron man) or perhaps it's one of the spaceships come with a message. The Robot cold also be interpreted as the creator or guardian of the mysterious orbs. However, it is meant to relate to the image as a whole, and is meant to speak to the power of honest perception and will, a call to justice and resolve (that's more than just being pretty about things).
As a Set
When I created "Astronaut Sight" I wasn't planning on making another robot character similar to it, but I had a little canvas board of exactly the same size and I thought it wold be a neat idea to execute. My art teacher suggested getting a bunch of the small boards from the dollar store and just to keep painting them. I'm not completely adverse to that idea, though I humor it as somewhat "Wharhol-ian". In considering a series of these "Robots" I might play with color schemes and symbols more and that could be a fun investigation.
Though not meant to represent individually "male and female" (I don't assign sex or gender to them personally), the astronaut is predominantly blue and the architect in pinks, therefore they can easily be associated with the sex signs. The brighter bolder red is meant to "ground" and give a sense of vitality to the lighter pink tones, just as the swirling lines are meant to give a sense of motion and symbolize vitality through being like water. Since they are studies of abstract motion, energy, which moves us, I would not be adverse to interpretation along the lines of sex or gender.
Floating in Space
- Drawing the Pixel Oddities are based on, a strangely sad looking toy robot I found and drew in my (2017) Drawing II class.
I added the floating eyeballs, the poor 'bot musta been distraught about something. I decided it would be something strange. Ah, yes a wormhole at one's core always sets things just right.
The toy is reminiscent of children's show Gumby, think it might be by Hasbro?
update: think I read Wilco/Walco on it
?
Thanks for Looking!
Thoughts or questions much appreciated.
-Komo, circa early April 2020
