Arty Girl: Robots in Flight at the Scottsdale Civic Center

There are certain things in this world that will win me over no matter what. Whenever my niece cracks up laughing with her high pitched squeals, sparkling eyes and a huge grin of jagged first grader teeth, I'm so overwhelmed with adoration, I feel like my heart is going to...

By Lilia Menconi

December 10, 2008

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There are certain things in this world that will win me over no matter what. Whenever my niece cracks up laughing with her high pitched squeals, sparkling eyes and a huge grin of jagged first grader teeth, I'm so overwhelmed with adoration, I feel like my heart is going to die.

Or this morning, when I was absent-mindedly adjusting the too-low neckline of my shirt and my boyfriend handed over a safety pin without me having to say a word. Oh my god, marry me now.

And robots. I'm a complete sucker for robots. They're so adorably tragic in their attempts to be legitimately alive...I love them. Except for the ones that are trying to "kill all humans" - eff those guys.

And, yes, I totally cried during WALL-E.

So I think it's really going to be easy for me to like Atticus Fraley's installation, Robots in Flight. He's the second artist of five set to install art at the Scottsdale Civic Center Bell Tower.

Scottsdale Public Art's series called "Bell'e Art" began this past September and will continue until June 2010. Robots in Flight opens today and will be on display until April 2009.

The installation features Fraley's ongoing designs of robots made entirely of vintage recycled objects. Here, the bell tower Robots will be doing all kinds of aeronautical feats: parachuting, riding rockets and sailing on wings.

I mean, just look at this cute little guy. I already love him (as long as he's not programmed for murder).

--Lilia Menconi

Robots in Flight is on display at the Scottsdale Civic Center Bell Tower located at 7373 E. Scottsdale Mall adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Visit www.scottsdalepublicart.org.

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