Where Technology Meets Art

Where Technology Meets Art

My father took an early retirement from NASA to pursue his career as a sculptor. He left a career where science and technology ruled, to pursue a passion of arts and creativity.

He created many fantastic works, but my favorite is the “Ascension of Venus.” The piece was part of his classical series inspired by the great Michelangelo, for whom my father has great respect.

Not only did my dad want to express his own form of the classics in the historic style. He also wanted to execute it in the same medium that Michelangelo so endeared, Carrara marble.

He somehow arranged for a 1000-pound block of Carrara marble to be shipped from the Carrara region in Tuscany, Italy. It travelled all the way to his small gallery in the mountains of North Carolina.

And to quote the great Michelangelo, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” The Ascension of Venus was set free from that 1000-pound block of Carrara.

The Soul is at the Center of Creation

Michelangelo’s bond with Carrara marble reveals the relationship between artist and material. Michelangelo was intimately involved in every aspect of his art. That included  the selection of his materials. He frequently visited the quarries of Carrara to personally select the marble for his works. In the early 16th century, he would spend weeks at the quarriers, searching for the ideal block of marble.

Michelangelo carved one of his most famous works, the statue of David, from a single block of Carrara marble. The block had been abandoned for decades until Michelangelo arrived. He saw potential where others saw only flaws. He famously claimed to see the statue within the marble and felt it was his role to “free” it. Michelangelo’s ability to carve David from this supposedly imperfect block is a testament to his genius.

Just as Michelangelo freed his angels, the human soul is the driving spirit behind the creation of art. It is through art that humanity expresses love, grief, joy, and wonder. The soul’s yearning to communicate and connect drives the artist to create.

Trouble in Carrera

Whether it is ChatGPT writing literary works or DALL-E painting art pieces worthy of the Louvre, the use of technology is now on the edge of making Michelangelo role in his grave. We’ve addressed this quandary here before.
The historic quarry of Carrara is witnessing a revolution as technology meets the classics. Robotor, an Italian robotics company, has introduced advanced robots capable of sculpting Carrara marble with astounding precision and speed. These robots can carve intricate designs in a fraction of the time it would take a human sculptor. This is now changing how marble is sculpted and sparking a debate in the art world. This blending of robotics and traditional marble sculpting brings forth questions about the nature of artistry, creativity, and the role of human in the arts.

The Rise of the Machine

Founded by the Italian engineer Giacomo Massari, Robotor specializes in robotic technology that can chisel, carve, and polish marble with incredible accuracy. The company’s robotic arms are equipped with diamond-tipped tools that can replicate any design input, from classical motifs to contemporary abstractions.

Robotor’s machines use sophisticated 3D modeling and computer algorithms, allowing them to “understand” the structure of the marble and precisely follow pre-programmed designs.

Unlike traditional sculptors, who spend months or even years painstakingly carving each detail, Robotor’s machines can complete highly complex sculptures in days.

The arrival of the Robotor sculptor sparked a philosophical clash in the art world. Traditional sculptors and art purists argue that marble sculpture is an inherently human art form, one that requires intuition, creativity, and the deep connection between the artist and the material. They argue that a robot’s precise, mechanical methods lack the imperfections, spontaneity, and emotion that make art meaningful. For centuries, sculptors have viewed the carving process as a relationship between artist and stone. Think Michelangelo freeing angels trapped within the marble. Can a robot ever truly release the spirit of the stone?

It’s Still Art

Many will argue that Robotor reduces marble sculpture to a mechanical process and diminishes the artistry behind each piece. They believe that the absence of a human hand strips the sculpture of its soul. However, Robotor is not making decisions on its own. Robotor’s chisel can only create what it is told to create by the artist. At this point I see it as another tool in the sculptor’s tool chest. Just because a heart surgeon today can use robotic instruments does not mean he is not a heart surgeon. The art being created by Robotor is the sole result of the artist, only created faster.

Who is the artist—the programmer or the machine?

But imagine a Robotor powered by generative AI, able to create marble sculptures that blend the precision of a machine with the creative potential of artificial intelligence. Once trained, the generative AI robot could create a sculptor that is not merely a copy, but an original creation generated from the AI’s understanding of form, style, and the arts.

The idea of a generative AI robot creating marble sculptures speaks to a larger shift in how we define art in an age where technology plays an increasingly central role. As AI-generated art becomes more prevalent, society will be called to examine what makes art valuable. Is it the result, the process, or the story behind the creation? With generative AI, the lines between artist and tool, creator and creation blurs.

The Purist May Not Agree

Pretty sure as a sculpting purist my father would never agree to using a Robotor to create one of his sculptures. But ultimately, Robotor’s impact is a reminder that art is a balance between tradition and innovation. The use if generative AI is far and wide and has had a transformative impact across industries, reshaping how we create, innovate, and interact with technology. Even the Carrara marble quarries of Tuscany, Italy are not immune to its impact.

Generative AI has had a transformative impact across industries, reshaping how we create, innovate, and interact with technology. In art, it opens unprecedented avenues for self-expression. However, its influence also raises questions about originality, and the role of human creativity, challenging us to redefine what we value in both art and innovation.

Whether the future sees Generative AI as a competitor or a collaborator, the beauty of Carrara marble, paired with the ingenuity of technology, promises to shape art in ways we are only beginning to understand.
For The Good

Michael Nichols

Numbers You Need to Know

155 BC

155 BC is the date of creation of the first monument made of Carrara marble. (Carrara Marble Tour)

650

More marble has been extracted from the over 650 quarry sites near Carrara than from any other place. (Wikipedia)

$10,000

Calacatta marble can cost over $10,000 for a block and is one of the world’s most expensive types of marble. It’s more than double the price of Carrara marble, yet mined in the same mountains. (Business Insider)

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