In Pictures: 'Lobsteropolis' art exhibition in London with robot viewing option

Artist Philip Colbert poses for a picture with some robots in front of a piece of his artwork in the Lobsteropolis exhibition presented and organized by Unit London at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Lobsteropolis offers audiences the chance to view paintings in situ, or digitally via robots from the comfort of their own home.

A woman and a remote controlled robot view a piece of artwork by artist Philip Colbert in the Lobsteropolis exhibition. London's Saatchi gallery is holding a private viewing for robots and humans, allowing people and machines to wander through the wacky world of pop artist Philip Colbert in a show designed to work both digitally and in real life.

The show displays work featuring Colbert's cartoon lobster, the central character in his paintings and sculptures. Telepresence robots - remote-controlled robots on wheels with cameras and a tablet screen are on offer for those who don't attend in person.

People use robots to interactively engage with Philip Colbert's Lobsteropolis exhibition. "I wanted to stage my exhibition opening using these telepresence robots as almost like a sci-fi vision of a possible future, where we have a telepresence robot which goes out into the world for us so we stay protected at home," Colbert said.

Guests can tour the gallery in person or by booking a robot which they can then navigate through the space, zooming in and out on works exploring mass consumerism, contemporary culture and history.

A woman and remote controlled robots view artwork by artist Philip Colbert in the Lobsteropolis exhibition.

"It's quite incredible to be driving round Saatchi," said Josh Corden, an artist and preview invitee. "I think it's incredibly powerful," he said from east London.

A robot welcomes visitors to the Lobsteropolis exhibition by artist Philip Colbert at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

The idea for the show was born during lockdown isolation.

Auctioneer Simon de Pury attended the show through a telepresence robot which he controlled from his home in Monaco. "This is a wonderful way of attending an auction preview or an exhibition preview. You can get close up to the artwork, you can have a look at it from near, from far and you get an idea of proportion so it's a pretty cool way of looking at art."

A woman looks at pieces of art alongside remote-view robots that visitors can digitally control to explore the exhibition remotely during a press preview of 'Philip Colbert: Lobsteropolis' at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

British pop artist Philip Colbert poses for photographers during a press preview of 'Philip Colbert: Lobsteropolis' at the Saatchi Gallery in London.