Dug North
Encyclopedia
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
known as 'contemporary automata'. Though his work is much less complex mechanically, North draws inspiration from the masterworks of automatists such as Pierre Jaquet-Droz
Pierre Jaquet-Droz
Pierre Jaquet-Droz was a Swiss-born watchmaker of the late eighteenth century. He lived in Paris, London, and Geneva, where he designed and built animated dolls, or automata, to help his firm sell watches and mechanical birds....
, Henri Maillardet
Henri Maillardet
Henri Maillardet was a Swiss mechanician of the 18th century who worked in London producing clocks and other mechanisms. He spent a period of time in the shops of Pierre Jaquet-Droz, who was in the business of producing watches, clocks, and automata....
, and the magic-themed automata of Robert-Houdin.
North as an artist is less concerned with imitating living organisms, than with creating scenes and characters that make subtle comments on society. Other contemporary automata artists include those associated with Cabaret Mechanical Theatre
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre is an organisation that mounts exhibitions around the world of contemporary automata by a collective of artists based in the United Kingdom. It was started in 1979 in Falmouth, Cornwall.-External links:*...
, once located in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In addition to writing magazine articles on the subject of automata, he publishes a blog for collectors and makers of automata and mechanical toys entitled The Automata / Automaton Blog.
Currently, Dug North serves as the Kircher Society Resident Automatist for The Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society.
North makes his home in Lowell, Massachusetts in the United States and continues to create automata.
See also
- AutomatonAutomatonAn automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...
- Pierre Jaquet-DrozPierre Jaquet-DrozPierre Jaquet-Droz was a Swiss-born watchmaker of the late eighteenth century. He lived in Paris, London, and Geneva, where he designed and built animated dolls, or automata, to help his firm sell watches and mechanical birds....
- Henri MaillardetHenri MaillardetHenri Maillardet was a Swiss mechanician of the 18th century who worked in London producing clocks and other mechanisms. He spent a period of time in the shops of Pierre Jaquet-Droz, who was in the business of producing watches, clocks, and automata....
- Robert-Houdin
- Cabaret Mechanical TheatreCabaret Mechanical TheatreCabaret Mechanical Theatre is an organisation that mounts exhibitions around the world of contemporary automata by a collective of artists based in the United Kingdom. It was started in 1979 in Falmouth, Cornwall.-External links:*...
- Karakuri ningyo