Andy Warhol once proclaimed “the reason I’m painting this way is that I want to be a machine”. Although it may have not been apparent at the time, his statement anticipated a major thematic focus for artists of generations to come. Today, more than ever, painters are gripped by the possibilities (and potential risks) of our increasingly digital world. Many of the leading artists today employ machinery to assist in the creative process — from the silkscreen press to inkjet printers — and it speaks to a larger merging of the artist’s hand and the machine’s hand. Ahead of our upcoming exhibition, ‘Double Take’ (which will explore the tensions between painting, technology and machinery), we take a deeper dive at three of the artists who have been at the forefront of this thematic trend.
One of the leading contemporary artists, Christopher Wool, has been to this exploration (and blurring) of the lines between painting and machinery. His practice involves a sophisticated integration of traditional painting techniques fused together with modern technology. He frequently employs digital tools and printing processes to manipulate and transfer images onto canvas. The works often features stencilled or silkscreened letters and patterns, emphasising a mechanical aesthetic that reflects his overarching engagement with mass production and reproduction. His utilisation of technology extends beyond mere tool usage; it becomes a thematic element in his exploration of the intersection between art, technology, and contemporary culture. Wool's artworks continue to challenge traditional notions of painting by fully embracing the industrial and digital processes that have become integral to artistic creation in the 21st century.
Similarly, Wade Guyton's artistic practice revolves around the transformation of digital technologies into tools for creating art. Guyton is renowned for his use of large-format inkjet printers, which he manipulates to produce abstract and expressive compositions. He intentionally exploits the glitches, smudges, and imperfections inherent in the printing process, blurring the line between intention and accident. This approach not only challenges the conventions of painting and printmaking but also raises questions about authorship and the role of machines in art production. Guyton's artworks reflect a deep engagement with the capabilities and limitations of technology, highlighting the evolving relationship between humans, machines, and artistic expression in the contemporary era. Through their respective practices, both Wool and Guyton exemplify how artists can embrace technology and machinery as integral aspects of their creative processes, pushing the boundaries of artistic innovation and conceptual inquiry.
Two notable female artists who are also working at the intersection between painting and machinery/technology are Jacqueline Humphries and Avery Singer, both developing their own unique visual languages.
For Humphries, she manipulates paint through unconventional means, using tools like squeegees, stencils, and spray guns to create dynamic compositions that evoke the frenetic energy of the digital age. Humphries' work reflects an engagement with technology not only in its execution but also in its conceptual underpinnings, addressing themes of digitisation and the virtual realm.
Singer, on the other hand, employs 3D modelling software and digital technology as integral parts of her artistic process. She creates complex, hyperrealistic paintings that challenge traditional notions of representation and space. Singer's work blurs the boundaries between digital and physical realms, exploring the aesthetic possibilities afforded by computer-generated imagery. By embracing technology, Singer reimagines the potential of painting in the contemporary era, highlighting the transformative impact of digital tools on artistic expression.
Double Take, our upcoming exhibition, which explores the intersection between painting, technology and machinery in contemporary art, opens at the end of May in London. Details coming soon.
