Like a bolt from the blue, a new presence has made its way into the sculpture scene of Carrara, Italy, where Michelangelo created the famous David. It is "1L", a robot created by the startup robotor to solve some problems related to the creation of sculptures. Which? For example, the duration of the works. Or the amount of waste and wasted material produced in carrying out the works. A sculpting robot like the 1L represents a real innovation, but in this field it risks bringing with it a lot of discontent.
How 1L, the Robotor sculpting robot works
Imagine a 4-meter (13-foot) tall piece of “markant” carving Carrara marble with a drill coated in synthetic diamond dust. And it can complete a project in just four days, dozens of times faster than a human sculptor. L1 was designed to work continuously day and night, and its mechanical arm is capable of sculpting marvelous works of art that rival the masterpieces of the likes of Michelangelo, Donatello and Canova. The results are truly surprising!
This is how art is killed, however. Or not?
Italy is known worldwide for its extraordinary historical art scene. Absolute masterpieces, timeless, and made entirely by hand, with human ingenuity and ability. What would happen if a robot sculptor became part of the Italian artistic panorama? Would there be a risk that this change would eliminate the craftsmanship behind the sculpture?
James Massari, the founder of Robotor, doesn't think so. According to him, the robot is capable of doing 99% of the work, but it still needs that human touch to complete the sculpture and turn it into something worthy of being displayed in a museum. Furthermore, Massari points out that 1L is more of a “sculptor's assistant,” as it allows artists to save time and avoid mistakes. Not everyone is convinced by these arguments.
One year after its launch, the idea of a robot sculptor, it is no mystery, still encounters some resistance within the artistic community. Lorenzo Calcinai, from the Florence Cathedral workshop, says that if robots take over in this field too "we run the risk of forgetting how to work with our hands", and hopes that some artisanal skills will continue to prevail.
Meanwhile, however, artists such as Jeff Koons e Maurizio Cattelan they are already working with Massari to transform their ideas into sculptures thanks to the robotic hands of 1L. He may not be an artist, but he never backs down.
