About

This website is an effort to archive and make available information about the Karakuri Ningyo tradition in English. Until now there has been little interest from outside Japan regarding the Karakuri Ningyo craft, and its influence on technology and the arts.

SHOBEI Tamaya IX and Kirsty Boyle at his workshop in Inuyama, 2002 (Photograph by Mr HIRAIWA Yuji, Chunichi Newspaper)

In 2002 I received an Australia Council for the Arts New Media Arts grant, enabling me to study under artisan SHOBEI Tamaya IX, a ninth generation Karakuri Ningyo craftsman and the last remaining mechanical doll master in Japan. In addition, I spent time at Nagoya University with Dr SUEMATSU Yoshikazu, founder of the SUEMATSU Robotics Laboratory. These experiences have prompted me to compile this collection of information and images relating to robot culture, so that the Karakuri tradition might be shared with the English speaking world.

I am now considered one of the leading English speaking authorities on the Karakuri tradition (ancient Japanese robot culture) and have lectured extensively on what I term 'Robot Culture' (modern new media robot culture). I am available for public lectures, collaborations and freelance consultation.

Currently I am a guest artist in residence at the AI Lab, University of Zurich, developing 'girltron', a Karakuri inspired robot. This is with the support of The Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) and the AI Lab, University of Zurich in association with the Australian Government through The Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

I have a blog hosted with ANAT relating to my residency documenting the production of girltron - http://www.anat.org.au/blog/boyle/

Documentary Film

I have been producing a documentary about Karakuri and robots in Japan, with the support of The Japan Foundation. It is expected to be completed in 2008/2009.

Book

Over the years studying Karakuri I have been writting a book for publication. This website contains a small selection of information from my work in progress manuscript.

Please email me at kirsty@karakuri.info with comments and feedback.

Blog

About

Karakuri Origins

Dashi Karakuri

Butai Karakuri

Zashiki Karakuri

Edo Society

Edo Mechanisms

Karakuri Masters

SHOBEI Tamaya IX

Robot Perspectives

Karakuri Robots

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mail@karakuri.info

Last modified 14 January 2008
Copyright © 2002-2008 Kirsty Boyle

All rights, including copyright, in the content of these web pages are owned or controlled for these purposes by Kirsty Boyle. All images and text are copyright unless otherwise noted. These images are not in the public domain. You are not permitted to copy, broadcast, download, store (in any medium), transmit, show or play in public, adapt, create derivative works from or change in any way the content of these web pages or any portion of it for any other purpose whatsoever without prior written permission. Copyrighted images, articles, and other borrowed content remain the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended or contained on this site. Every effort has been made to identify and credit the original source of all content, but mistakes are inevitable. If you have a question or complaint about any of the images or other content on this site, please contact me.