Art Basel Miami is showcasing an installation built around six flesh-toned robot dogs that generate physical prints using on-site AI imagery. Each model features a hyper-realistic human head, including those of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and creator Beeple.
The project, titled Regular Animals, fills the space with the humanoid machines as they periodically stop, tilt back, and drop a Polaroid-style print from a rear chute. A small LED display on each dog flashes POOP MODE while the image is produced.
The installation records the surrounding environment using cameras placed around each head. Those images feed into an AI system that generates the prints that the dogs eject. According to Popular Science, the robots will create 1,028 prints during the fair, including 256 NFT-verified versions labeled as Excrement Sample.
The aesthetic of each print reflects the figure represented on the dog. Picasso’s are geometric. Zuckerberg’s resembles stylized digital footage.
Temperaments, output speeds, and the artist behind the project
Each dog has a designated temperament, with Musk’s described as “cognitive blueprint” and Picasso’s as “proto-cubism.” Their output speeds also vary between slow, medium, and fast, with the tech billionaire models operating on the faster setting.
Regular Animals was created by digital artist Beeple, who rose to prominence in 2021 after selling a 5,000-image NFT collection for $69.3 million at auction. His Art Basel installation includes six robots, all of which have reportedly been purchased for $100,000 each.
Beeple’s accompanying statement focuses on the idea of artwork observing the viewer. He frames the installation around the increasing role of technology platforms in shaping what people see online.