Artist’s Statement:

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I work in wood, and I'm connecting that very old tradition to a modern conversation. For me, the conversation is about the psychological and social effects of technology like automation and artificial intelligence. When I was in High School in New York City there was a show at the Museum of Modern Art: The Machine which was a turning point for me. Industrially made objects were presented, Jean Tinguely presented Homage to New York. A self-constructing and self-destroying work of art. As a performance, at a given time, he started the machine and the audience watched as it destroyed itself. Here was the use of industrial processes for exploring art, and a metaphor for the effect of the machine on our psyches. I make 3d models, write code for machine tools, and explore AI.  I combine advanced technology with traditional woodwork at a high level of craft. The changes that we have experienced and that are coming are profound.  In my studio work I try to parallel them as far as possible.

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Douglas Tausik Ryder January 2023