Hot to bot: Pygmalion's lust, the Maharal's fear, and the cyborg future of art

Abstract

This paper explores the deeply interwound histories of art and robots from their roots in the Greek myth of the sculptor-king Pygmalion to the work of contemporary artists, such as Norman White. By analyzing the myths of Pygmalion, the Golem, Frankenstein's monster, and other notable automata of legend, a framework emerges for understanding how various cultures have expressed desires and fears about technology and the future and defined values with respect to human. This context offers insight into the role of artists in creating metaphors and working models of a posthuman, cyborgian future.