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Marvel at the 22-foot-tall polystyrene giant robot sculpture
Michael Salter is something of a pack rat. Instead of letting all that clutter go to waste as some might, however, he puts it to good use — or into making robot sculptures.
You may remember these adorable Styrobots from a little while ago. His new creation is a little bigger; it stands over 22 feet high and needs a wooden, skeletal armature to keep it standing as well as moving vans to transport it. The smaller Styrobots at its feet keep people from getting too close and accidentally knocking it over.
It took Salter all winter to cut the pieces into shapes that would glue together snugly. Why does he do it? His pieces aren't sold — and are often destroyed at the end of the showing — though in packing materials and other odds and ends Salter finds an interesting comment on society's mechanical made-for-waste industry.
Salter is an associate professor of digital arts at the University of Oregon. Check out the gallery below for more images of his giant, 22-foot-tall robot sculpture as well as a few of his other creations.
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Michael A. Salter, via KOMO News, via Robot Living
By DarrianAshoka at 12:46 PM ON 07/05/08
That is pretty clever and creative. Must be something in the clean mountain water up here in Oregon for us creative types. (LOL) When I was just 17 back in the late 70's I built a life size Darth Vader for the promotions of Empire Strikes Back in Down Town Salt Lake City, Utah. I have some grainy photos of it on my web site. I had to make the skeletal structure with 2x4s as well in wood shop, since they don't make a 7'+ tall mannequin.
I would love to see what his students could do to these with some paint to bring out some interesting visual effects. It would be easy enough to punch in a few blinking LED lights as well. Being so light weight they would be very easy to motorize some PVC pipes in the arms. I know spray paint can eat into the styro-foam that could make some interesting textures and battle wound looking indent.
By james mazzeo at 2:18 PM ON 07/05/08
when i'm not painting...i like to get my hot glue gun and cut up cardboard to weld together into sculptures....i look forward to trying packing foams...i like this alot...cheers.
By Nathan at 3:35 AM ON 07/09/08
What does he pack them in?
on your cellphone!
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