ACBatchelor

Seen here performing in somebody's decrepit basement circus, a little robot executes a quadruple backflip dismount from a horizontal bar. If you couldn't tell, this is a composite image I made using a couple in-flip action shots. Will robots start taking home gold in the Olympics? When reached for comment, 2008 gymnastics all-around silver medalist Shawn Johnson had this to say, "What news show did you say you were with again?" Channel Six with April O'Neil -- this is Barry Hansome reporting. Hello? HELLO? *slams banana on counter* Hit the jump for the video. Thanks to SharkDiddler, who's braver than I am.

Chinese artist Xu Bing has several works currently on view as part of an exhibition at Mass MoCA in Massachusetts. Among the works are two 12-ton birds titled Phoenix that fill the museum’s football field-sized Building 5. Two years in the making, the birds were constructed from materials collected at various Chinese construction sites including demolition debris, steel beams, tools, and assorted remnants of migrant laborers. The male Phoenix titled Feng measures 90 feet long, and the female, Huang, is nearly 100 feet in length from beak to its steel tail feathers. Both birds are illuminated from within through a network of lights.

Somewhat similar to artists Yao Lu and Ai Weiwei, Xu Bing seems to be commenting on China’s rapid commercial development that is drastically altering the physical and cultural landscape within the country. Phoenix will be on view October 27th. (via junk culture, hyperallergic, my modern met)

Click here to view the embedded video.

My friend Namer sent me this video today. Crazy variations on head balances.