I make strange things that invite people to play.

I’m Robby Schlesinger, an artist and maker based in Reno, Nevada. My work moves between interactive art, music, electronics, code, storytelling, and physical fabrication.

I’m drawn to projects that begin with a slightly unreasonable question:

• What if a piano could take requests?
• What if a website were an explorable island?
• What if an ordinary object suddenly developed a personality?

My projects often combine digital systems with physical materials. I use technology to create experiences people can approach, touch, explore, and influence. The engineering may be complicated, but the invitation should feel simple: step closer and see what happens.

ARIA-88 brings together many of the ideas I keep returning to: music, mechanical movement, theatrical presentation, and the uncanny pleasure of watching an object behave as though it has intentions.

Most of my work starts before I know exactly how to build it. Research, prototypes, failed assumptions, and improvised solutions gradually turn an improbable idea into something real. The process leaves fingerprints on the finished piece, and I prefer it that way.

Learn more about my work at robbyschlesinger.com.

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