You Move Me – Lara Greene

A project currently in development by Lara Greene , the piece started during a residency at Amorphic Robot Works in New York. See Video of its development .

The figure is a fully articulated machine that moves via cables extending out from within the body to multifunctioning levers that can be pushed pulled and twisted to create various movements and affect it's position in space. A group of up to 6 people will be required to operate the piece, these being visiting members of the public. The figure has the capacity for elegance or awkwardness, dependent upon the level of people's control and ability or desire to co-operate with each other. People will struggle with or surmount this challenge, as she responds and embodies these conditions the character will come to life allowing people to empathise and respond in return. You move me is a tool for expression that draws people together in a web of interdependency provoking many forms of communication.

This work follows her project 'The Ape ' which was installed as part of a group exhibition entitled "Reactor", Aldaran Art Space, Nottingham.

The Ape is a large Puppet/Autonoma (See Video), trapped by his strings whilst also dependent on them to bring him to life… a sad but comical character. The controls are quite complex but built from basic and found materials: wood, scrap metal, bike and boating parts. They pivot from the beams, reaching out to four corners of the room: points at which a team of four people can push, pull or twist handles and turn wheels to control the head, arms and the back. Meeting him is far from the separated experience of many gallery exhibitions. Visitors are encouraged to share activating him with others. The resulting interactions were an exploration of control/dependency, power/intimidation, humour, mimicry, and group co-ordination/discord, challenging our notions of being an independent entity, that which the ape has never conceived of.

4 comments August 22nd, 2006