- Premiering at Birmingham Tech Week, the Water Bots make their world debut across Birmingham and the Black Country this October
- Commissioned by BOM and created by Australian artist Michael Candy, this trio of robotic sculptures will playfully maneuver through the waterways on 22, 25 and 26 October.
- Find out more here: https://bom.org.uk/water-bots/
Audiences are in for a dazzling spectacle this October as BOM (Birmingham Open Media) unleashes the Water Bots, a mesmerising fleet of illuminated swimming sculptures, across the canals of Birmingham and the Black Country. This groundbreaking project is a fusion of cutting-edge art, engineering technology, inspired by the region’s industrial heritage and created by Australian artist Michael Candy.
The Water Bots are a dynamic trio of robotic sculptures which audiences can interact with as they move through the region’s historic waterways. Audiences will be treated to a series of unforgettable public events, starting with their debut during Birmingham Tech Week on Frontiers Day, Wednesday October 22nd at 5pm as they perform along Sherbourne Wharf opposite the ICC and Pitcher and Piano bar. The Water Bots will then appear at Warren’s Hall Nature Reserve in Dudley, on October 25th and 26th, where families will be able to play with the Water Bots and take part in creative engineering activities with local engineers.
Louise Latter, BOM’s Head of Programme said “We can’t wait to showcase the trio of beautiful and unique Water Bots that Michael Candy has created which are unlike anything you will have ever seen on the canals! We’re also excited to see if we can inspire the next generation of creative engineers through our Water Bots engagement events in Dudley and we welcome families from across the region and beyond to come and get involved!”
Michael Candy, Water Bots artist said “The Water Bots are living sculptures, part machine and part artwork, drifting through Birmingham’s canals as a reimagining of the city’s industrial past. My practice brings together engineering and storytelling to create encounters that feel both surprising and yet familiar. The Water Bots are industrial relics, transforming the waterways into a stage where new mythologies and unexpected futures can take shape.”
The Water Bots will premiere on Wednesday 22 October from 5pm – 6pm, as part of Frontiers Day at Birmingham Tech Week. Audiences of all ages are invited to gather at the rear of ICC and Pitcher and Piano to see this free, sculptural performance of Water Bots as they light up, emit steam and move along the waterways.
Over the weekend of 25 and 26 October BOM the Water Bots will travel to Dudley where BOM is inviting families, budding engineers and creatives to two days of workshops and Water Bots performances at Bumble Hole, Warren’s Hall Nature Reserve from 11am – 5pm. Expect art and engineering workshops, all free.
Water Bots is funded by Arts Council England, the Royal Academy of Engineering and West Midlands Combined Authority, and supported by the Canal & River Trust.
BOM (Birmingham Open Media) is an immersive arts organisation, empowering communities through innovation with immersive technology and inclusive learning programmes. Find out more @BOMLab or bom.org.uk/water-bots