François Junod

François Junod has been making robots the old-fashioned way for over 20 years. Using precise micro-mechanics, Junod works out of his studio in Sainte-Croix pursuing his goal of making movements smoother and more human. Though he works primarily on commissions, his Modigliani-like art pieces and studio shots are well-documented here and you can find a history of automata here (complete with satisfying flash animations). Also …

The Book of Tags

The Book of Tags, a 256-page hardcover book on the subject. Its pages further explore the debate as the authors note that tagging is “a phenomenon which stands on the thin border between art and vandalism.” What started out in the ’70s as a way for young people to mark their territory on NYC subway cars has burgeoned into a worldwide art movement. An anthology …

Bruce Shapiro’s Art Machines

Bruce Shapiro is one of the world’s pioneers in DIY computer controlled kinetics. For over a decade, the California-based tinkerer has been designing software to automate a range of machines—from a stratograph, which makes highly-detailed sand art (pictured), to a series called “Sisyphus” that creates intricate mandalas in sand using a ball bearing and a tilt table. Check it out after the jump, along with …