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Originally created in 2016, the work consists of a large AI robot with a shovel shaped head who continuously controls and “cleans up” the red viscous liquid on the floor surrounding the structure in its large transparent enclosure, resembling a creature captured and kept on display. In its first appearance at the Guggenheim Museum in 2016, it was not only one of the most viewed installations to have ever been in the museum but it was also the most viewed work from the Guggenheim on the internet with more than 2 million views. 

To watch the installation in motion at Guggenheim Museum, click here.

This was improved upon at the 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in the exhibition ‘May You Live in Interesting Times’, curated by Ralph Rugoff, which welcomed over half a million visitors, many of whom having shared and filmed the installations and art that they saw, helped the work reach over 3 million combined views on Instagram. 

“Can’t Help Myself” is contained in a large “cage” made of clear acrylic walls. The robotic arm occupies the space in all directions, moving and reacting to the deep-red liquid that for fault of its nature, slips and slides around the pre-determined area. The machine, developed in collaboration with Kuka Robotics, is in a state of continuous control with its own ecology and momentum that come from 32 programmed movements. These movements mimic human movements and were designed by the artists. They highlight the essential elusiveness of the liquid but also the defiant refusal of not only the liquid to be controlled but also the machine to never give up. The movements range from quick to smooth to at times aggressive. Although completely programmed, the robotic machine is physically performing what Sun Yuan & Peng Yu have planned. It therefore becomes an extension of the artists even though, due to its robotic machinery form, it is detached from the spontaneous creativity and emotions of a human being. In fact, Sun Yuan says "An artist's work is a reflection of his or her will. The artist doesn't need to be present on site, physically. Instead, you rely on an agent to carry out your will.".

The dynamic between artificial artist and machine is symbiotic; the work is created and programmed by Sun Yuan & Peng Yu and the engineers but it takes on a life of its own when turned on. The robotic arm is unsettling in how it seems autonomous in its mobility. Our reliance on technology and technology’s need for us in order to perform is a notion raised by the work and highlights that, although the image of the machine can be bold and strong in its associations and movements, there is an inherent vulnerability to both man and machine. 

As time passes, the incessant attempts to control the liquid leaves marks and residue that resemble bloodstains, suggesting the potential outcome of conflicts surrounding surveillance, border control and land disputes. These marks, together with the form of the robotic arm, recall the security mechanisms that through technology have invaded our everyday lives, from smartphones to surveillance cameras in urban areas. These allow us to document and share moments of our lives while monitoring and controlling our behavior in another iteration of the relationship between humans and technology; as we create and design machines, we simultaneously become the subject of their purpose.