Field Studies Version 1 (2008)

Installations
Written By Andrew MacDonald

Photo credit: Jessica Field

This large installation displays the robots behind glass cases and the only information about the robot's ecology comes from very biased narratives. There are three videos: one on the field study notes taken from robot observations, one using subtitles to describe the robot's experiences using humanistic ideas and the last is a lecture that describes a robot brain schematic to help humans understand robot psychology better. This robot psychology is designed with the intention of using the robot’s AI program as a research space to further understand and resolve issues in basic human psychology.

These video works are filmed in the style of a naturalist researching animal behaviour in the wilderness, though the subjects are four robots. A robot is deterministic; it is a character without free will. A robot's behaviour is determined by the external control of its environment and the internal control of its program. Yet in running a robot, glitches arise that defy the confines of the program and it behaves in a manner not intended.

These videos visualize how a forgotten or misplaced command creates an unexpected behaviour. These video works mimic organic behaviours to accentuate the discovery process I go through to understand the robot. The robot becomes its own entity through my inability to be omnicompetent

The robots in their social interactions with each other are designed to show how their ability to self analyze, when carried to an extreme, results in an inability to function. The robots' obsessive tendency to self evaluate causes their behavioural responses to act without instinct, without self-preservation.

Observational Studies

Light Seeker Robot

Light Emitter Robot

Drawing Robot

Line Reader Robot

Andrew MacDonald

With more than 20 years in marketing leadership, Andrew brings a clarity-first approach shaped by his early career in the non-profit sector. At World Vision Canada, he managed multi-million-dollar campaigns and drove donor retention strategies; later, at Opportunity International Canada, he built an in-house creative team that delivered innovative, cost-efficient marketing across the country.

Those experiences taught him that effective marketing isn’t about flashy tactics — it’s about strategy, efficiency, and measurable ROI. Today, Andrew applies that discipline to help entrepreneurs escape the “marketing swirl,” invest smarter, and grow with confidence through the Kasama Method™.

Clients describe him as a trusted partner who asks the big questions, simplifies complexity, and always walks alongside them with solutions. He’s passionate about blending strategy and technology in ways that make growth achievable for small and mid-sized businesses.

Beyond Kasama, Andrew gives back by advising local charities and serving on community boards. At home in Quinte, he and his wife Katrina are raising two kids — and when he’s not strategizing for clients, you’ll find him planning the next family beach trip or catching up on post-apocalyptic TV shows.

http://www.kasama.ca/
Previous

Field Studies Version 2 (2009)
Next

Tantalus Synthesis (2005)