Back in 2015, a cleaning robot underwent a radical career change when Japanese artist Masato Yamaguchi hacked it and transformed it into a painter. Nicknamed Mr. Head, it was armed with bottles of paint and a new set of autonomous commands that allowed it to dribble paint onto a canvas as it moved around, creating abstract works of art. But his best work is still to come.
Unforeseen technical, development and equipment costs forced Mr. Head to go on indefinite hiatus. But he’s back now, and ready to create. And a series of major upgrades will allow him to create even more autonomous, dynamic artwork. Not only will he run smoother but he’ll also be able to choose which colors he uses based on various external factors such as weather and temperature. He’ll also expand his artistic palate significantly through dynamic dripping not only from the bottom but also the top of his head.
You can help Mr. Head achieve his aesthetic vision by contributing to his Kickstarter campaign, which just went live. Rewards include t-shirts and original prints but you also have the option of springing for original, one-of-a-kind paintings on canvas and mounted on a wooden panel. These start at 78000 yen, or about $730.
The first painting that Mr. Head ever made was “Spring Worm Hole,” created in 2014
“Spring Worm Hole” (detail)
in 2015 Mr. Head created “Spring Starburst.” Each painting takes several hours to make.
“Spring Starburst” (detail)
