About

Chris Eckert is an artist working in Southern California.  His sculptures have been shown throughout the United States and Europe including venues in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Japan.  Eckert received his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University and his MFA from San Jose State University.

Statement

My days are often filled with boring, repetitive tasks: sanding, drilling, soldering, etc.  My mind wanders and I find myself chewing on big problems – problems that gradually find their way into my sculptures.  An installation of twenty writing machines, each scouring the internet for a specific term and writing the results, in different friends’ handwriting and in different languages, explores the common insecurities of our global society.  A large installation of telegraph machines mirroring the real-time twitter feeds of various news organizations questions if it’s possible to extract an informed opinion from a constant and relentless barrage of partisan news.  A machine copying the Gospel of Mark but making mistakes, which gradually erode the document, reflects on the value of a “universal” religion which uses this document to consistently condemn others.  Fifteen face tracking eyeballs record everything they see and consider the need to balance individual privacy with personal safety.

My work is a reflection of ideas and questions I find perplexing.  While some find machinery cold and impersonal, I find a vehicle for exploration and introspection. If my ideas are authentic and personally relevant, I have confidence people can form profound and intimate connections with my work.