Métamatic

Métamatic was an art-making machine created by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely in the mid-1950s. It was designed to produce abstract drawings automatically.

The Métamatic machines were essentially motorized drawing devices, typically consisting of a frame, a motor, and various drawing implements like pens, pencils, and crayons. Users could insert a piece of paper and activate the machine, which would then randomly create a drawing. The resulting artwork was a product of chance and the machine's mechanical processes.

Tinguely created several iterations of the Métamatic, with some versions even allowing viewers to actively participate in the drawing process by selecting drawing tools and influencing the machine's movements. He viewed the Métamatic as a critique of mass production and the increasing automation of society, highlighting the role of chance and randomness in art. The machines challenged traditional notions of artistic authorship and control, suggesting that art could be created through mechanical means rather than solely through the artist's hand.