slobots are robots too

Earl Grey and Sencha

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:32:00 +0000

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=41838426

new slobot Robot Art available - Sencha and Earl Grey

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:36:00 +0000

Just got some slobots back from a show in Chicago... these two are Earl Grey and Sencha - kind of Japanese Kokeshi inspired slobots. they are approximately 80%-90% post consumer plastics, as well as some rubber, glass, glow in the dark parts, and acrylic paint.

they are available here...
Earl Grey - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41838426
Sencha - http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41839073

more pics:

Mike Slobot's Robot Art - Deep Space Fusion - Sentinel v2 Custom toy2r 8" Qee

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:03:00 +0000

Type: Customized 8" Toy2R Figure

Story: "This slobot is specially designed for inclusion in deep space fusion reactors as a method of human preservation. He will gladly stay in place when all other beings must vacate the premises due to an emergency"

Found Objects, Old Toys, and other everyday detritus, glass eye, acrylic paint.
App. 8" tall

Buy Now: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41688031

slobot x warhol pop art

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:54:00 +0000

8"x10" print. you can buy one here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41651781

slobot08 hits the nightlife

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:44:00 +0000

mike slobot's robot art update! kaiju comrades 2, toying with art, and art basel miami

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Opening November 12 and running through March 28, 2010 at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC is "Toy with Art" an exhibition of toys created by artists... here's a link to a short write-up about it. Toying with Art - Encore Magazine

In December: Multiversal during Art Basel 2009 - http://www.multiversalgroupshow.com/ almost 150 artists - check the website for more info!

Also, coming up in 2010, the slobots will make their Japanese debut at kaijuComrades2 原宿ブッ壊す March 12th,13th and 14th, 2010 at Design Festa Gallery, East 303 Tokyo, Japan - here's a video showing the massively huge roster of international artists! more info on this as it gets closer!

slobots featured on sweet-station.com

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:05:00 +0000

Hey. My slobots just got written up on sweet-station.com

Craig Kaufman - 1960s plastic art goodness

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:04:00 +0000

I watched the PBS documentary "the Cool School" a few months ago, and then picked it up again the other night. My wife (http://blog.hippiecouture.com) and I are fascinated with the 60s, and the documentary shows some extra cool art as it emerged in LA during the 1950s and 60s at the Ferus Gallery. I am particularly taken with the work by Craig Kaufman, as, if you know me at all, I have a deep fascination with shiny plastic. Plastic is a motivating factor in the creation of my slobots, and Kaufman uses it in a masterful way. The pieces I am highlighting here are from a series of work from the 60s that is created in vacuum formed acrylic plastic. You can read some more about Kaufman on wikipedia...

The Ferus Gang (Group Portrait of Artists from the Ferus Gallery), 1962.
(Left to Right: John Altoon, Craig Kauffman, Allen Lynch, Ed Kienholz, Ed Moses, Robert Irwin, Billy Al Bengston). Photo by Patricia Faure.

slobot grunmicros over in the UK

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:56:00 +0000

UK toy blog vinylabuse.com did a quick write up on the grunmicros...

The writer, OKKLE sent me a funny note telling me that the flatter headed grunmicro looks a little like these robots from the Smash Potatoes advert from the 60s...

bassline makes the slobots insides jiggle

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:50:00 +0000

oddly enough, and not very widely known fact: most of the slobots prefer music with bass capable of rattling your insides. here's a couple of tracks, including the current (in the slobot's humble opinion) reigning king of trobbing bass - bassnectar.

and some other throbbing basslines from the bassbin twins...

if you subscribe by email, go straight to the slobots blog to see the videos :)

slobot - interview on vinyl-toys.com

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:42:00 +0000

i just did an interview over at www.vinyl-toys.com... check it out :) http://www.vinyl-toys.com/slobot-%E2%80%93-customizers-behind-the-scene/

slobot's Earl Grey and Sencha headed to Chicago

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:37:00 +0000

These two slobots, Sencha and Earl Grey are headed over to Rotofugi in Chicago as we speak to be part of the Toy Karma 2 show... nice line-up on this one, including some heavyweights in the Kaiju and art / toy arena, like Buff Monster, David and Sun Min of Ugly Dolls fame, Itokin Park, and many, many more. The whole premise of this show is based around Japanese toys and their influence on art. This came at a great time for the slobots, as i have been following a track with some of the slobots that takes them back to some of the original images and shapes, which, interestingly enough, take some cues from Japanese Kokeshi dolls, like the Philosophers that i did for a show earlier this year. Both of these slobots are made of found objects, approximately 75%-85% post consumer plastics that have been repurposed into art. The big one stands approximately 14" tall, both have a cool green glass eye and some glow in the dark parts. they have a story too: "Earl Grey and Sencha are two slobots from two different worlds... Sencha comes from the far off land of Japan, created as a household service robot while Earl Grey was created to be a librarian by a noted scientist from Great Britain. Worlds away from their homelands, they met in New York City, and, sharing a passion for proper cups of tea, opened a wonderful little tea shop in the Lower east Side."

Slobot ROBOT x robolucha making his European Robotic Debut

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:53:00 +0000

This is the Slobot Sentry v5. Don't worry, despite his slightly menacing appearance, he's just a protector and a puppy dog at heart. He'll be making his debut at Milk Gallery in Istanbul , Turkey on September 15, 2009. He then travels around with the rest of the show throughout Europe to Toy2art in Cologne October 10-24, 2009, ThunderEgg in the UK, the Dirty Cream in France, and Think Pink Celle in Germany Nov 13-28th, 2009. Slobot Sentry v5 is a one of a kind custom based on the Robolucha figure series from Patch Together. he sports a snazzy silver paint scheme, a glow in the dark chest plate and wire fittings, a cool green glass eye, and moveable arms. here's a facebook page for the show, if you need more info: Facebook Robolucha Show these are some shots of the customized slobot next to one of the original figures.

new slobots for sale in the etsy shop!

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:20:00 +0000

announcing the GRUNMICROS... "The GRUNMICRO series of Slobots were created in the late 1960's as a German to English translation robot. The only problem is, they tend to be a bit mischievous, frequently giving intentionally improper translations, and spending in ordinate amounts of time updating their Facebook accounts with weird inside jokes. Nonetheless, they are seeking new friends..." Slobot GRUNMICROs are each one of a kind, custom 3" Toy2r Qee figures with found objects and other re-purposed bits used in their creation. They are a lovely green color with neon yellow wires and glow in the dark wire connections. This figure is suitable for a desk, a shelf, or a ride in the car, BUT IS NOT CRAFTED FOR KIDS or PETS :) He has small pieces that are probably a choking hazard! buy GRUNMICRO-09a or GRUNMICRO-09b

robot snob interview...

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:26:00 +0000

i just finished an interview with robotsnob.com which is a comprehensive site dedicated to all things robot. i am flattered that my slobots were deemed "Must Have" robots for August 14. thanks to Robot Snob, and take a trip over to read the interview.

makes me want a citroen

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:17:00 +0000

love this robot commercial by Neill Blomkamp, the director of the new movie - "district 9"

incoming!!! slobot at dog days end of summer show curated by marshhouse

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:26:00 +0000

hey... time for an update... a slobot has landed in Charleston, WV and will be included in the Dog Days End of Summer Show. The Martian Orange Tree Herder's story goes like this: “A curious thing happened when the first Orange trees were planted on the Martian Surface. The orange trees grew into a hybrid plant / animal, in so much, that, during growing season, the orange trees began to migrate from field to field. In a moment of necessary quick thinking, the Orange Tree Herder robot was created to corral the young trees.”This slobot has a new feature, a black light reflective belly light. Contact marsh house for purchase inquiries. more pics below.

this one's for you

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:27:00 +0000

more blippy, bleepy, and bangin old school techno

slobot can make MUNNY for you!

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:21:00 +0000

i've done quite few of these Kidrobot Munny's for people and thought, i have never posted all of them together before... hmm, time to remedy that situation. scroll to the bottom to see the first one i did :) All these custom munnys have been sold, but you commission your own custom munny from me in my etsy shop.

er, hey, that's not a munny - but it is an 8" Kidrobot Dunny...

The first slomunny that i created - it won first place at the first Uberbot Munny Show.

Remember, you can get your own one-of-a-kind slobot munny in my etsy shop.

mike and mia vs. westbam members of mayday

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:45:00 +0000

i just posted about Members of Mayday (aka Westbam) Sonic Empire, a CLASSIC track from the 90's rave scene (see the video here in my previous post). That post reminded me that back in the day, circa 2002 or so, my girl and i remixed the track for use in DJ sets. Our remix keeps to the original vibe, and of course, keeps in the friendly robotic vibe of the slobots. here is our remix in its entirety for gratis: Members of Mayday - Sonic Empire (Mike and Mia Remix).

slobot blip bleep raver bleep sonic bleep empire. bleep.

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:59:00 +0000

bleep bleep bleep. slobot robotic dance vernacular

slobot x 626 experiment STITCH for mindstyle

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:56:00 +0000

here's my custom stitch that i just finished up for the 626 Experiment with mindSTYLE / disney. mine should be making its debut as part of the upcoming San Diego Comic Con. The original figure was a blank, 10" tall version of Stitch from the Disney Lilo and Stitch franchise. my finished custom stands about 18" tall, and is finished in a trippy copper color. his name is "Time Traveller 626".

art tends to distort the truth

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

At least, that is according to Matthew Nowicki, a twentieth century architect that was a colleague of Eero Saarinen. Like Saarinen, Nowicki died young in 1960. here is a quote that i just read from one of my library sale finds in the Eero Saarinen architecture book: "Art tends not only to discover the truth but to exaggerate and finally distort it. And, maybe in this distortion lies the essence of art." deep, contemplative stuff indeed. here are a couple of images of his most famous architectural piece, a pavilion at the state fairgrounds in Raliegh, NC...

modern sculpture - defined by auguste rodin!

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:48:00 +0000

so, i went to a library sale last month, and i am still digging through the pile of cool art, architecture and scifi books i picked up. i blogged earlier about some of the architecture, and now i am reading though book "Modern Sculpture" by Jean Selz, published in 1963 by George Braziller. i am motivated most recently toward sculptures with my slobots, and i am thoroughly inspired by the idea of abstract and modern scuplture. so, far this is a really engaging book tracing the movement into modern sculpture. i just read a chapter about the changes that Rodin brought into the art world. he was accused by some critics of his time of not being able to "finish a sculpture". in response, Rodin wrote these words: "I am reproached for not finishing my sculptures and for presenting the public with sketches. The essential modeling is done, I consider it unnecessary to linger over the polishing of toes and curls; those details do not interest me." i am fascinated by this quote. While he was clearly capable of making the most realistic of sculptures, Rodin was one of the first sculptors to move past the idea of realism as the only acceptable means of producing art, and reached into the notion that art can be based on feeling and movement alone. Just think, without Rodin, there would be no "thinker" (pun intended), but also he is a bridge into modern sculpture, including my ability to sculpt slobots... this book is a great read, and here's some more Rodin imagery, including "the Thinker"...

slobot robotic philosophers?

hello@slobots.com (slobot) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:38:00 +0000

Hey All! Just wanted to let everyone know that I have a show opening tonight (june 12, 2009) in Wilmington, NC at the Local Gallery at Fast Frame of Wilmington (http://fastframeofwilmington.com). The opening is from 5p-7:30pm and the show runs for a month. I have about a dozen slobots in the show, including these brand new slobot Philosophers. They are 100% slobot, found objects, etc and each stands about 20” tall. They form a Triptych, and their story goes like this: “Three Philosophers standing in a room, waxing philosophical on ethics, aesthetics, and various other thought provoking topics. These three philosophers love to discuss the ins and outs of the most complex and innane subjects equally. While lacking vocal instruments, they still manage to share their ideas both grand and verbose, by communicating telepathically with each other and everyone else as well. If you find yourself suddenly full of more thoughts than you can keep track of, there is probably a slobot Philosopher in the room." Contrary to popular belief, not all robots are bent on global domination, the slobots are friendly and just want to help.