Robert Hengeveld

What lies behind the desire for the perfect lawn?

Green, lush and kind of pointless to anything but humans, the lawn is a cultural icon. Humans have long exerted their control over the natural landscape, shaping the environment to our needs. Throw the familiar into question as you watch our extremely dedicated robot take care of a stretch of lawn. Never ceasing or tiring, it might do a better job than we ever could. Technology is constantly used to mould the environment for human comfort and convenience, but is this just an illusion of control? Through this elaborate robotic setup, the true absurdity of this effort could be revealed.

When we give the role of care to technology, does nature fare better or worse?

Robert Hengeveld is an artist and maker of things, living and working on the island of Ktaqmkuk, in Corner Brook, Canada. His creative practice explores and experiments with how we perceive and preconceive the world around us. From roller coasters and swarm robotics to the reworking and reimagining of collected beach plastics, his research emerges through collaborative investigation.

Photography: Matthew Stanton

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