The notion of creating an object that has the potential to endure and influence other minds for hundreds of years is particularly resonant with me. Even the most basic of tools can become obsolete eventually, however a work of art has the potential to keep ‘working’ as long as it exists. When I look into the eyes of a figure painting or sculpture, I imagine what it was like when those eyes first began to peer back at their creator, as they do with my own creation’s eyes when they first look at me. A spark of life ignites inside these metal objects − there’s a specific moment where the collection of parts becomes a personality. I feel a connection to the new piece, imagining the same from the synergistic collection of ferrous parts peering back at me. I also feel a connection to those creators who have had similar experiences, as if I’m looking into the eyes of mothers, artists, writers, dancers, and creative thinkers during their moments of creation. Often this connection spans great distances and even hundreds of years.
If I were to make my own functioning robot, I would make them kind, thoughtful, compassionate, strong, and full of wonder. It is my job as a sculptor to portray these qualities in my works through body language: to create a figure that expresses the positive aspects of people − as I think all creators of robots should. We are participating in the genesis of a new robotic age in which we must guide these new beings to be a force of good in the world, and as an ally to all humankind.