Around 500 years ago, Michelangelo redefined sculpting, setting a new standard among artists and sculptors. His statues are a marvelous statement of innovation, courage, and reinvention.
Today, 500 years later, Giacomo Massari hopes to revolutionize how we view and make art. Massari and his team have developed a robot that can replicate the works of master sculptors — even replace them. Called the Robotor, this machine is carving a new niche in sculpting. You only need to feed your concept into its self-programming software and let it produce magnificent and lifelike sculptures.
This innovation comes from Carrara, Italy — the birthplace of Michelangelo’s sculptures.
How did Michelangelo and other sculptors make sculptures
Carrara produces some of the finest marble in the world and has been the source of marble for more than 2,000 years since Roman times. For centuries, sculptors like Canova, Bernini, Rodin, Henry Moore, and the most famous of them, Michelangelo, have been drawn to this site.
In 1497, a 22-year-old Michelangelo Buonarroti — arguably the greatest sculptor in history — visited Carrara to find the perfect marble block to transform into La Pieta, the first of his many marble masterpieces. He usually spent long periods looking for the ideal pale marble block and giving precise orders about the sizes and shapes he wanted.
From these blocks, Michelangelo would slowly carve out his lifelike figures using a hammer and a chisel. After the sculpture was done, the marble was polished, smoothed, and cleaned.
Today, La Pieta sits in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. His other famous and inspiring sculpture, David, currently stands in the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy.
Why use robots to make artwork
Robotor is the brainchild of Giacomo Massari and Filippo Tincolini, both of whom have an intimate relationship with Carrara. They still source their marble from the block in Carrara that Roman builders, Renaissance sculptors, and later Neoclassical sculptors used.
But the bigger question is, aren’t they chipping away at what we admire in statues: the artist’s talents, ingenuity, and artistic perception?
The two founders of the startup company don’t think so. They believe their robot is phasing out the era where sculptures were made of “broken bones, chisels, and dust” and ushering in a period of “scans and draws.” Users don’t need to step in, but watch the robot slowly create a masterpiece in a fraction of the time in hand-sculpting.
“What used to take months or even years can now be done in days,” Massari told the Smithsonian. “Machines can run round-the-clock. They don’t get sick or sleep or go on vacation.”
Amazing sculptures by Robotor
Since its creation, the Robotor has created numerous sculptures for artists, architects, and designers. The company also sells its proprietary software to clients worldwide.
One of the most notable works by the Robotor includes a 20-foot-high copy of Syria’s Palmyra Arch. The company was commissioned to make this one-third-scale model after the 1,800-year-old monument was destroyed by Islamic State Fighters in 2015.
The robot also recreated Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, sculpted initially by Antonia Canova. “It took Canova five years,” Massari said. He says that making the replica “took our machine 270 hours” — less than 12 days.
What do sculptors think about using robots to make sculptures
Surprisingly, some of the best customers for the company are renowned artists and sculptors from all over the globe. They include the American Jeff Koons, the famous Italian artist Giuseppe Penone, and the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. Massari also says some of his artist customers choose to remain anonymous.
Artists using robots to create their art argue that even famous sculptors like Michelangelo employed hundreds of anonymous artisans to help them bring their concepts to life.
Proponents of robots, such as artist Richard Erdman, say they enjoy “creating, not making.” “Once I have conceived a sculpture, as a drawing or a model,” Erdman says, “I’m not interested in spending ten weeks re-creating what I have already made.”
However, other sculptors, like Lorenzo Calcinai, believe robots may erode the knowledge and skills passed down through generations. Lorenzo has maintained and restored hundreds of marble statues at the Florence Cathedral for years. He is one artist among many who has worked at the Cathedral for centuries.
“We risk forgetting how to work with our hands,” Calcinai said. “I hope that a certain know-how and knowledge will always remain, although the more we go forward, the harder it will be to preserve it.”
Another famous sculptor, Fred X. Brownstein, echoes Lorenzo’s sentiments. “I like a sculpture to be my own effort from beginning to end,” Brownstein told the Craftsmanship. “I would rather do it with all the faults and warts I make. They’re mine. Knowing and controlling the entire process frees up my creativity. I know how close I can get to the edge.”
The future of robot sculptors and AI art
The debate whether robot sculptures or AI art is still art rages on. However, Massari feels this debate is irrelevant because if we adopted cars instead of trekking thousands of miles, why draw the line at art? He also believes art is the conception, not the execution; they are not replacing Michelangelo, but enhancing him.
“I think art is related to the thought. So, if you can imagine something, it’s already a unique piece of art,” argued Massari, saying he represents “the contemporary artisans.”
