Circle of Life

About the Work

Several small robots move seemingly aimlessly and uncontrollably within a clearly defined circle of light. Their movements follow no recognizable order but arise from simple, autonomous reactions to their environment. The circle of light acts as both a boundary and a nutrient space, an artificial habitat in which activity becomes possible.

The robots are designed as hybrids of plant and technical components. This connection refers to an intermediate form of organic growth and mechanical functionality. Their hexagonal shape is deliberately chosen: it picks up on natural principles of order, as found in cell clusters, honeycombs, or germ cells, and combines biological logic with technical construction.

This creates a field of tension between control and self-movement, between programmed behavior and apparent vitality. The installation addresses questions of origin, reproduction, and development in a world where natural and technological systems are increasingly intertwined. The robots become moving metaphors for early life forms, fragile, autonomous units embedded in an artificially created environment that first enables their behavior.

Historically, the work can be placed in the tradition of media art experiments with autonomy and simulation, which since the 1960s have explored the boundary between machine, life, and artistic system. From the cybernetic installations of early electronic art to contemporary robotics and bioart projects, the work continues this exploration and reflects current debates about autonomy, algorithms, and artificial life forms.

In the present, where technology and nature are increasingly interwoven, the installation opens up a critical and sensually accessible approach to these processes. It makes visible that autonomy and control are not absolute quantities, but are renegotiated in each system—a reflection on the relationship between life, technology, and human creative power.

Exhibitions

2025 "LIGHTWAVES", Sangkasa Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Technical requirements / exhibition conditions

- Power supply for light installation
- Stable, level exhibition area (at least the area corresponding to the size of the light circle)
- Minimal maintenance during the exhibition: occasional care of the plant components and recharging or replacing the batteries