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The “ can’t help myself” robot is a robot who is endlessly struggling to contain a spreading pool of liquid in one place.

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Explain how this robot depicts the ideas of surveillance, control, and emotional exhaustion in modern society.

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How does this connect to ongoing issues in real-life.

Example: workplace burnout, government or corporate surveillance, expectations of society from certain individuals.

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Sun Yuan & Peng Yu are known for using dark humor to address contentious topics, and the robot’s endless, repetitive dance presents an absurd, Sisyphean view of contemporary issues surrounding migration and sovereignty. In this work commissioned for the Guggenheim Museum, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu employ an industrial robot, visual-recognition sensors, and software systems to examine our increasingly automated global reality, one in which territories are controlled mechanically and the relationship between people and machines is rapidly changing.

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Placed behind clear acrylic walls, their robot has one specific duty, to contain a viscous, deep-red liquid within a predetermined area. When the sensors detect that the fluid has strayed too far, the arm frenetically shovels it back into place, leaving smudges on the ground and splashes on the surrounding walls. Observed from the cage-like acrylic partitions that isolate it in the gallery space, the machine seems to acquire consciousness and metamorphose into a life-form that has been captured and confined in the space.

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The movements of the robotic arm resemble human gestures of fatigue and struggle. According to The New York Times, many viewers describe feeling sadness and helplessness as they watch the machine’s endless, futile task.

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Sun Yuan and Peng Yu are highly regarded in the contemporary art world, lending credibility to the themes of surveillance, control, and labor that they critique.

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The machine’s programmed routine reflects real-world systems of control, such as factory labor or government surveillance. Just as the robot cannot escape its task, many workers and individuals feel trapped in repetitive cycles imposed by society.

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The bleak, repetitive actions of the robotic arm create a tone of exhaustion and inevitability, resonating with audiences who recognize similar struggles in their own lives.

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Can’t Help Myself is often interpreted as a critique of authoritarian surveillance and control. The glass enclosure and constant movements represents how individuals are monitored and restricted by powerful systems. Stripping them from their individuality and creativity

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The piece also mirrors the repetitive, exhausting nature of modern labor. In many ways, the robot reflects how workers in capitalist economies are expected to perform tirelessly, often at the cost of their well-being.

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Connections to AI ethics: As artificial intelligence and automation become more integrated into daily life, the installation raises questions about the emotional and ethical implications of machines designed to mimic human behavior.

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1. The use of a kinetic installation (rather than a painting or sculpture) adds an element of movement, reinforcing the idea of endless struggle.

The robot’s programmed actions are designed to appear expressive, making viewers project human emotions onto a non-human entity, further emphasizing themes of labor and control.

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Comparing the emotions that are envoked To my own work word experience.

“ when I first started working I was 16, and excited to start making my own money. When I had to start helping my mom work felt real and a chore at the time. Now that things are better and I have been with my job for going on 2 years I can honestly say I'm drained. The consistent being held to a certain expectation that is unreality and unhunmane is exhausting. Being watched to see if I'm doing the right thing at all times is exhausting.

I burn out a least 3-4 times a month taking long break to reconnect with myself and for my mental health.