The Mechanical Mural is a new form of storytelling using a purely mechanical system of levers and link rods to animate traditional forms of cast aluminum and bronze. In this instance, human action drives the entire mechanical sculpture.

This Mechanical Mural project combines two of ARW’s artistic strengths: permanent works and pedagogy. The storytelling aspect of this new work is a direct outgrowth of MacMurtrie and ARW's robot building workshops with children. In the robot-building workshop, teens and preteens participate in an intensive course in which they each create an original, autobiographical, robotic character. When the kids complete their robots, they all participate in forming a narrative, which is then performed for a local audience.

MacMurtrie wanted to make the kids' cultural contributions more permanent in their communities, and initiated a Mechanical Mural project with the youth of Dublin, Ireland in 2004 to help them create such a mural. The final project is now displayed in Dublin center for the enjoyment of the kids' friends, family, and community-at-large.

More information on this project is coming soon.

• narrative
• video