Not Afraid of Falling (2024) is a multi-media artwork by Los Angeles-based artist Glenn Kaino, who is known internationally for his expansive vision and activist-minded practice.

“Not Afraid of Falling is a mediation of time and life. It is a reminder of the fragility of our existence and a symbol of our humanity and our instinct to invent and create. Alternatively read as “Not afraid of failing,” it is an inspiration to take chances and risks in an environment designed to be a safe space for experimentation and discovery. It depicts a young boy who will forever swing in the playground of dreams, and a reminder for all students who pass through that the spirit of playfulness and creativity is always present.” - Glenn Kaino

The figure in Not Afraid of Falling swings continuously on its trapeze, with its slow movement only visible over hours and days.

This work pays homage to Antonio Diavolo, an automaton built in the 1850s by French watchmaker and magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin. With no electricity or microcontrollers, Houdin created a remote-controlled figure (a “robot”) that performed acrobatic stunts on a swinging trapeze. In 1977, the remains of the terribly damaged Antonio figure passed into the hands of illusionist John Gaughan, who spent 7 years restoring it. Gaughan, alongside Kaino’s long-time collaborator, Gideon Webster, worked together to create the sculpture you see today.

Antonio Diavolo and Not Afraid of Falling show our endless fascination with human-like figures that exhibit human-like functions; this is, in fact, the definition of “robot.” Not Afraid of Falling is an artistic expression of hope, intertwined with methods from the past and technology still to come.

This art installation, located in the 1st Floor Atrium of the Bill & Melinda Gates Center, at the University of Washington, was commissioned through the generous support of Sylvia Bolton and the Leo Maddox Family, and was dedicated on Friday, October 25, 2024.x Family.