When Nature created this section of the Apuan Alps, she provided Carrara with this storehouse of marble. Located in central Italy, Carrara quarries have been worked for over 2,000 years. Quarried, exported, and carved into, Carraran marble has served as the primary source of Michaelangelo’s and Bernini’s masterpieces and has been used consistently in Roman architecture, reaching even the U.S. Capitol. Its white purity and characteristic grey veins have made this stone a staple — a symbol of timeless beauty, embodying both the strength of the mountain and the unyielding creativity of human hands. However, inevitable as the passage of time is, AI and other modern technologies have now reached the realm of sculpture.
Caleb Stein, a NY-based photographer, published How To Move a Mountain in January 2024 by Luhz Press. Born in London, Stein often explores the fragility of memory and the strength of community in his work, often delving into themes of mythology and narrative, with notable works like Down by the Hudson. His latest work originates from the vivid memory of his first visit to Carrara with his family, almost ten years ago. Commissioned by the Smithsonian Magazine, he accessed the creation process of the Robotor company, which uses robots and AI to carve sculptures.
The photo-essay follows the entire process: from the stone pit to the final product. Stein’s black-and-white work manages to masterfully capture the nature of marble; the grayscale does not fail to emphasize the interplay of light and shadow. He also includes screenshots of 3D schematics printed in industrial paper to contrast the intact marble stone.
One of the most striking frames found in this series is the anthropomorphic robot. The former atelier is now an artistic laboratory; the once passion of a master and their chiselers has been replaced by a software. Its automated nature underscores the dichotomy of machine/hand.
But not everything we see is dystopian. The shots invite the public to reflect on the elegance and convenience of the novel technique. The robot is consistent and confident, working restlessly through the night. We witness the intricacies of the machine, various electrical and hydraulic components are organized and optimized securely. We see how the water clears the dust. Most of all, how the photograph captures the specificities of a moment of alignment betweennatural mediums: the water, the stone, and the diamond-ended robotic arm.
The finishing touches are still reserved to human hands. Carrara, home of the best sculpture academies, interweaves tradition and modernity, art and technology.
Through this document we observe. We scrutinize the relentless passing of time. We are invited to adjust our conceptions of “authorship” and the future of creativity happening in a place tightly linked to a traditional way of making art. This is probably the ultimate dichotomy in the art world.