Lawrence Lek's 'Guanyin 2: The Caretaker' at V&A East Storehouse

Lawrence Lek has developed a commissioned game installation called 'Guanyin 2: The Caretaker' for the V&A East Storehouse in London. This interactive experience takes place in a virtual conservation studio, where players guide a robot named Guanyin, a 'Care Bot' responsible for finding missing pieces of a scale model of the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the iconic sculpture from the London 2012 Olympic Games. Lek’s work investigates the interplay between interactive technologies and virtual spaces, as well as the distinctions between work and play. Drawing on his architectural and electronic music background, the project also reflects on East London’s evolution, particularly around Hackney Wick and the Olympic Park, where Lek has lived and worked. Guanyin, named after the compassionate Buddhist bodhisattva, represents themes of empathy, contrasting prevalent narratives about AI and robotics. This project marks a new phase in Lek's ongoing exploration of the Guanyin character, enabling intricate movement and exploration from the viewpoint of a twenty-centimetre-tall robot.