THE CONSTANT GARDENERS
JASON BRUGES STUDIO
Ueno Park, Tokyo, 28th Jul - 5th Sep 2021
The Constant Gardeners is an unprecedented large scale performative installation spanning the realms of art, technology & sport. The vast outdoor installation combines ancient Japanese tradition with cutting-edge computing & industrial robotics.
Drawing inspiration from the Japanese Zen Garden, a team of four giant robot arms perform the meditative raking of an expansive gravel canvas. In a series of daily performances, these ‘gardeners’ work together to create unique illustrations representing the movements of athletes. Generated by a series of bespoke algorithms that analyse video footage of past Olympic & Paralympic events, some illustrations depict an event unfolding over time while others shine a light on one spectacular movement or sporting moment.
4x ABB IRB6640 Industrial robot arms, 2 x custom linear rails, custom gravel bed, stage & viewing pavilion, bespoke software,