Lolo & Sosaku's Mechanical Painting Robots Create Analog Art in Barcelona Studio

In their studio in Barcelona, the artistic duo Lolo & Sosaku employs self-constructed mechanical robots to produce their paintings. These machines, crafted from materials such as wood, alloy, and wires, function independently, with occasional adjustments made by the artists. Their partnership began in 2004, initially exploring sound before transitioning to mechanical art, drawing inspiration from industrial noise and Lou Reed's 1975 album Metal Machine Music. They faced financial difficulties during their early years, spending three years in a cramped studio. Their work emphasizes compulsion over profit. Lolo refers to their creative environment, found in 2018, as a "parallel time." Recent pieces include Disco (2018) and Torque (2022). They shun digital methods in favor of hands-on mechanics. Ross Simonini conducted the interview for ArtReview.