FOUND, Cybraphon (2009)

By writing this I am making Cybraphon happy and by reading this you are making me happy. Here’s what criticismism has in common with an autonomous emotional robot.

FOUND collective’s sculpture tracks hits to its own website and obsesses over its stats and indeed, like most bloggers, that is activity I can all too easily relate to.

Cybraphon monitors Twitter, Facebook and Google for mentions of itself and to some extent that’s me too, for shame. Perhaps it’s you as well.

Cybraphon will even go so far as to sing about its own levels of popularity. This is usually a step too far for me, but I admire the chutzpah of the moody robot band.

After all, it has some great tunes. In fact, the sculpture’s unabashed joy and despair at its own varying levels of fame are themselves a pleasure to encounter.

And then there is the conspicuous retro styling. It suggests, despite the engagement with web 2.0, this individual hasn’t changed much since the industrial revolution.

Self-consciousness and concern with what others might be thinking or saying is pre-industrial. These failings are so human and timeless it is impossible not to like this art.

My new friend has just enjoyed its last day at De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea. Please see website for details of its next destination.

Feel more free than usual to share this story using the buttons or leave a comment. But it is of course more important you like Cybraphon.