Timothy Belknap

As I explored the Center’s collection, I was intrigued by the vision of the future that I found in the numerous robotically styled works and the futuristic building mockups. These works depict a future that looks part Jetsons, part Wall-e, rooted in an optimistic view of the future that not only looks good but also seems manageable.

But in most compelling stories of the future, there is a need for a villain, overlord, destroyer, hunter, and my ideas of the future were shaped by nefarious characters in films like Predator, Aliens, Blade Runner, La Jetée, The Last Star Fighter, and especially the robot mutants from the British television show Doctor Who, the Daleks.

Appreciating the artists’ resourcefulness in exploring various materials and processes in several of the permanent collection’s works, I challenged myself to find new materials and a new approach to creating form.