Art Review of "Can't Help Myself" by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu

source: https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/34812 An artwork titled “Can't Help Myself” created by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu in 2016 is a kinetic sculpture where a robotic arm continuously sweeps up a red liquid. It is found in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. This large robotic arm is enclosed in a clear acrylic wall for the viewing of the visitors. This sculpture is incorporated with visual-recognition sensors that detect the fluid that has strayed too far, and sweep it back in its original place. This action of the robotic arm results in a smudge of red liquid on the floor and splashes on the acrylic walls. This robotic arm has been moving continuously since 2016. This kinetic sculpture represents our current society which is controlled by machines, and the metaphorical reality of machines and humans. There are thirty-two movements performed by the machine, reflecting the artists’ intent to animate it. These movements make the machine come alive, touching the hear...