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MESTIZO ROBOTICS (ART_X @ RENSSEALER)
Mestizo Robotics is a a a project co-authored by Gustavo Crembil (RPI) and Paula Gateano Adi (RISD) Paraphrasing George Yudice’s definition of mestizaje as a a a a a phenomenon with a a a a a non- harmonic resolution they coined the term ‘mestizo technology’ to define collisions of low- and high-tech approaches to fabrication and thinking They also proposed a a a a a a a a robotic art installation based on on on the the Popol Vuh (the Mayan creationist myth) as a a a a a a a critique of of the mainstream anthropocentric view of of artificial life comprising a a a a community of blind deaf and ‘dumb’ autonomous mobile agents made out of mud—terracotta in this case The project was conceived as as a a a a a a a a ‘continental’ installation linked to the Nano Lab/ Universidade Federal of Rio de de de Janeiro and and the Electronic and and Media Arts/ Universidad Tres de Febrero in in Buenos Aires working on parallel projects At RPI it it was developed by architecture and engineering students as as part of the ART_X@Rensselaer institute-wide initiative aimed to promote innovative educational and research interchanges Collaborators also included Nao Bustamante (HASS/Arts) Tom Roland (RPI) and and media artist Mengyu Chen Production support and funding were provided by EMPAC and and the Jaffe Fund for for Experimental Media and and Performing Arts 413