Community Interventions
PlantBot & PollinatorBot Workshops
PlantBot & PollinatorBot Workshops offer a unique experience where friendly animatronics and recycled materials combine to create enchanting robot-plant hybrids. These workshops not only foster creativity but also serve as interactive public events that promote ecological literacy.
Participants learn how to repurpose recycled animatronics and transform them into unique PlantBots that reflect the specific environment of the site. Each PlantBot carries its own story, and once contextualized, participants don lab coats and take their sculptures to the streets or community spaces. The newly created PlantBots embark on a lighthearted and interactive "PlantBot Invasion," in which every community member becomes an integral part, sparking further discussions.
In addition, these workshops bring art and STEM education to unexpected locations outside the traditional gallery or museum setting. By taking robotic plants to the streets, we encourage people to contemplate their food sources, production methods, origins, and their journey to our plates. This approach aims to create a memorable experience that attracts a diverse audience, regardless of the level of support for art, technology, and food transparency in a particular community.
PlantBot Genetics provides all the necessary materials for the workshop, including animatronics and foliage. The workshops can occur in studios and classrooms or be transformed into performances or happenings. Participants retain ownership of their created PlantBots, or they can be displayed in an associated exhibition or even donated back to the laboratory.
If you're interested in arranging a future PlantBot Workshop in your community, please contact jschmuki(at)gmail.com for more info. Together, let's explore the fascinating intersection of art, technology, and ecological awareness while nurturing a deeper understanding of our food systems and fostering positive change in our communities.
Grand Rapids, MI
Young community member looking at electronic parts during a PlantBot demonstration and workshop at Columbus State GA.
Savannah, GA
Student posing the PlantBot she created at a weeklong workshop at Statesboro University in Georgia.
Gatlinburg, TN.
Sam Houston workshop participants posing with the PlantBots they made during their weeklong workshop.
SUNY Geneseo NY workshop participants working on their PlantBots.
Young girl works on a drawing of a Plantbot.
University students inspecting a PlantBot during a public intervention at Statesboro University.
Student PlantBots created at a weeklong workshop at Sam Houston University in Texas.
Advanced sculpture students working on their PlantBots during a workshop at Statesboro University.
SUNY Geneseo NY workshop participants documenting their PlantBots during a public intervention on their campus.
University students inspecting a PlantBot during a public intervention at Statesboro University.
Participants pose for a group photo at the workshop in Statesboro University
Young community member looking at electronic parts during a PlantBot demonstration and workshop at Columbus State GA.