constantine zlatev manufactures harmonious robotic gun flutes
all images courtesy of constantine zlatev

 

 

 

‘in the past, the natural artists worked primarily with natural materials. nowadays, we have mountains of discarded technology. these junkyards are the modern day quarries. and artists like me can make anything out of these resources. all of my recent works are made from salvaged industrial scraps and surplus technology that our society is burying itself in.’ san francisco-based artist constantine zlatev holds these statements as the driving force behind each of his creations. with this mentality, he is able to see the possibility to design something meaningful for the world we currently live in while using remnants of the past. following this ethos, he has developed a pair of installations called ‘the last gun’ and ‘chifte kavali.’

 


video courtesy of constantine zlatev

 

 

 

similar to the works of pedro reyes, each of the constructs consists of disabled weapons. more specifically, zlatev has transformed gun barrels into robotic double-flutes, which are played with compressed air. the mechanics are programmed and controlled through open-source electronics using an arduino microprocessor and a raspberry pi board.

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
full view of the installation

 

 

 

the installations graphically chart and then musically depict the rise and fall of annual U.S. arms exports. the instruments’ aural responses are based upon a value judgment – they are programmed to play scottish singer-songwriter eric bogle’s ‘and the band played waltzing matilda’, a famous song with somber melody meant to convey a strong anti-war message.

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
data visualization

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
pneumatic pistons of ‘the last gun’

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
mechanical valves

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
flute mouthpieces 

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes

full installation view

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
‘chifte kavali’ AKA double-barrel flute 

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
detail of the pistons

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
arm grip

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
tubing

constantine zlatev robotic gun flutes
solenoid controls 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.