Technology and creativity go hand in hand, or in artist and engineer Iris Okoro’s case, they go hand in robotic arm. With the help of senior engineering students, Okoro and his team created the Artistic Automaton. The machine is an autonomous robotic drawing arm that translates user submitted images into stylized line art. Not to be mistaken for emerging AI image generation technology, the robot simply translates a submitted photo into a sketch and draws it in real time. Although the robot is anything but simple, this was the award-winning senior design project for Okoro and his team of Texas State University engineering students, which included Paul Henson, Jamal Close and Nick Whipple. The team worked together throughout the semester to code and construct the robot from scratch.
“I would not have been able to do this on my own,” Okoro said. “My other teammates had notable skills — like Jamal was very good with power and learning how to distribute power through the whole system. Nick was very versatile in software and programming the app itself. Paul was very technical; he built the arm, the motion and the physics of it.”
Okoro focused on the image-processing part of the project.
“I guess I literally lived up to my name of Iris,” Okoro said. “How do you capture the image and turn that into something that can be turned into motion?”
The team competed against other senior engineering students and took home the title of best project of the semester.
“I remember just standing there and them announcing the team that won the best project, and it was kind of like an out of body experience,” Okoro said. “I didn’t think it would win best project. I didn’t think people were so fascinated in the art; the fact that an Art Bot ... — the first time they were doing that kind of project — won, it says something. People want to see different ideas … and the bridging between art and engineering is necessary.”
After the semester ended, Okoro and the team were still experiencing interest from the public about the robot. Okoro took this opportunity to build that bridge — the one that divides art and technology. With the help of local art gallery and event space MotherShip Studios, Okoro developed a one-night-only experience where guests could see the Art Bot in action as well as his artistic interpretation of some of the bigger, metaphorical themes that the Art Bot brought to both the public’s perception and his own art practice. Guests arrived at MotherShip Studios on the night of the event and were greeted by the autonomous arm, drawing away as Okoro submitted images to it. Above the bot was a cascade of drawing paper, exploding from the ceiling, hung carefully with fishing line by the artist himself. The paper floated and framed the presentation of the Art Bot as the gallery walls were lined with drawings made by the bot. In the second gallery space Okoro had created a towering art installation. A tree stood tall on top of a white pedestal with a mound of sand at the base. Guests were beckoned to walk around the installation, exploring the small details that made a big impact. All of earth’s elements were represented. The sand represented earth. The candles flickered creating energy through the flames representing fire. The rocks separated the sand from a mylar sheet that acted as a river moat, surrounding the pedestal, representing water. Air was represented by big plastic sheeting, affixed to the gallery walls that Okoro had activated with a fan, letting the gallery breathe in and out.
“I think this pulled every aspect of my brain from the physics side like how to get the wind to blow through the plastic properly or how to hang these papers so they look like they’re literally stopped in the moment of time.” Okoro said. “All these elements of physics, engineering, everything all shows up in the installation.”
This installation neighbored the Art Bot, allowing guests to explore the technological achievement as well as the artist’s interpretation that extends the dialogue created by the robot — bridging the gap between human creativity and machine logic.
“I knew I wanted to somehow bridge [the robot] with the rest of the installation. I felt like the Art Bot in itself kind of challenges the idea of what an artist is in today’s age or in the near future,” Okoro said.
This installation was more than just a metaphor, it was a farewell to a space that had helped nurture Okoro’s creativity during his time at the university. He found MotherShip Studios after searching in desperation for a place to nourish his creativity. Okoro has been an artist his whole life but he felt creatively isolated in the School of Engineering.
“I feel like I eventually reached a point where I felt like I was suffocating and I needed to do art,” Okoro said. “It took two years to get to that point after coming to San Marcos, but I was looking on google maps for local art spaces and MotherShip popped up.”
He ended up cold calling the director and cofounder Jacqueline Overby and, from there, started a relationship with MotherShip Studios. He volunteered at multiple art events, eventually becoming the go-to bar man. Pouring strong drinks and creating stronger relationships with guests who visited MotherShip.
“I really got to show my face to the community so people could identify me with MotherShip,” Okoro said.
The art space was a way to connect to the artistic side of himself while also building a creative community.
“I always say that I’m an artist before an engineer,” Okoro said. “I feel like more engineers need more of a creative mindset.”
The show at MotherShip was a onenight-only event as Okoro is about to make the move north to Toronto. Guests at the show had an intimate experience, taking in the artist’s installation and watching the Art Bot draw, many were able to speak directly to the artist, asking questions and delving into curiosity about art and technology “I would say the show was a success, like nothing went horribly wrong. Everything was there when I needed it and worked accordingly,” Okoro said.
He reflected on the show as well as his move across the country to Canada.
“There’s pieces of MotherShip that I’ll bring with me. This experience in itself meant something, and I think it builds up from here,” Okoro said.
One can keep up with Okoro’s art and engineering on instagram at @creatingod and one can explore all that MotherShip Studios has to offer on their website at mothershipstudiostx.com.
