Executed in 1970, but rediscovered in the artist’s archived in 2006, Ted Dutch’s Blue Machine is the companion piece to the Red Machine of 1963 (a copy of which resides in the collection of Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand). Something of a presentiment work, Blue Machine deals with the idea of humanity’s increasing reliance on technology in this period. The piece focuses on two workers, operating an ambiguous contraption which clearly demonstrates Dutch’s unique themes of technical whimsy. Within the composition the eye is drawn immediately to the figures, with only the title reference providing an indication of the relative importance of the blue object in the centre of the piece. We are initially left to wonder at what they are actually doing, with the realisation coming some time after the initial viewing that this machine is their reason for appearing in this scene. As the viewer, we are not given to understand the purpose of the machinery whereas the workers obviously do – this draws a parallel with Dutch’s impressions of the experiences of the observer of a world increasingly reliant on advancing technology, which the artist views with a mix of wonder and relative bewilderment. From an edition of 40. Price is for unframed print - please contact us for framing quotes