uno.k robotics studio, founded by Alejandro Nieto Jiménez, explores the capabilites of a robotic arm in order to achieve human-like dexterity, either for manufacturing or art creation.
For his first project Alejandro Nieto Jiménez uses nothing but a blank canvas and a standard spray paint can. The programming of the robot enables human-like production of art, in this case inspired by the art of Belin, an internationally recognized Spanish contemporary street artist known for his distinctive style of hyper-realistic and surrealistic graffiti art, including his unique blend of classical painting techniques with elements of cubism and abstraction.
The project is developed at “Espacio Rampa”, Belin’s multifaceted space dedicated to promoting and supporting the contemporary art scene. Rampa exhibits and promotes Belin’s art as well as serves as a meeting point for artists, collectors, and art enthusiasts, fostering debate and artistic appreciation. Rampa also commits to the professional development of artists through various initiatives, such as media outreach, participation in fairs, and guidance for emerging collectors.
This project calls attention to the state-of-the-art of humanoid robotics that we are living today as the main industry leaders like Nvidia, Figure, Tesla, Boston Dynamics, Agility and Unitree show its progress on a daily basis.
Current humanoid capabilities are not yet integrated on our daily lives so it might not be clear for the people what can they really offer. Starting from the widespread AI chatbots like OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot to autonomous robots like the one from Boston Dynamics known for its incredible mobility and choreographed dance moves.
“Spray_01_B”, is the first project of uno.k, converting the art of graffiti into human heritage for robots.The result allows the art of Belin to be immortalized, making it possible to reproduce its dexterity with a spray can in the same way as if it were a manufacturing process. Its moves can also be reproduced decades later thanks to computation and robotics.
The highly precise robot is generating what we consider human nuances each time, and this is not due to the robot but to the spray can, as it holds different pressure through its use making every piece totally unique and distinctive.
This also allows for the recreation of the same work as if it were crafted by a human, repeatedly, as though it were part of a production line.
“Spray_01_B'' combines geometric patterns and mathematical concepts common in computational design with strokes inspired by Belin's art. To make this a reality Alejandro Nieto Jiménez uses a conventional industrial ABB robot arm, specially presented in matte black to give prominence to the spray can and its movement through the white canvas. The aerosol is held by the robot through a 3D printed mechanism developed by Alejandro Nieto Jiménez specifically for this which required 3 different iterations in order to allow the movements and orientations necessary to emulate the human expertise.
The selected matte color palette from MTN 94 by Montana Colors showcases vibrant and bold colors that breathe life into the compositions. Additionally, by employing repetition and incorporating various colors, it fosters dynamic and visually striking compositions, enhancing depth and dimension in the pieces.
The project aims to bring public attention to how a humanoid's ability to create using the same tools as humans can transform our everyday lives and potentially lead to societal changes.The production of artpieces of this project is limited to only 36 one-off artworks or as Alejandro and Belin prefer to call, “robographs”. These creations are not only a reflection of technical skills, but also a reminder of the emotional and spiritual connection that endures on the artpiece despite being manufactured by a robot, combining the artificial and human in the same concept, understanding artificial as an automated human.
The finalization of this project by uno.k opens up new questions like:
Should the robot's programs and codes used be deleted forever making the artpiece fully unique? Should the code be used to train AI and humanoid robots?
Do we want to allow artists to allow their hands to travel through space-time?
Will this project pave the way to digitalize other artists' techniques?
Is this the start of a new era of Art, the era of robotic/humanoid art?
What remains of humanity when our artistic creations endure as immortal testimonies of our creativity?