Progress has been the central theme of my body of work ever since I first encountered Diderot's L'Encyclopedia (1751). Using a personal mechanical vocabulary I have been investigating relationships, both formally and metaphorically, between humanity and technology. The Perpetual Motion Machine is, for me, not only about balancing intuitive processes and manufactured designs, but it also represents a negotiation with an element of nature. The pieceís turbine-like form recalls the prime mover, transforming natural energy into a mechanical force. The multitude of individual spheres, therefore, suggests that together, united with purpose, they are the source of true driving power.

 

Patrick Bureau, (BFA, Art Education, Concordia University; BFA, Ceramics, Alberta College of Art & Design) lives and works in Montreal. His porcelain and wood sculptures have been exhibited across the country as well as internationally. He currently holds a teaching position in the Ceramic Department at the Visual Arts Centre.