Cooper Jacoby
Ruminator (it is goodbye soon)
2023
Polyurethane paint, galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicone, bone, photopolymer, electronics
31 x 74 x 22.5 cm
Acquisition date: 2023

Ruminator (it is goodbye soon) is part of a series of robotic sculptures in which painted steel lockers with four-letter locks are modified so that the letter dials are electronically made to spell out short texts. Each work in the series follows its very own machine learning model and accordingly engages in various forms of emotional manipulation that contribute to shaping a distinct identity. In Ruminator, the combination of electronic components, bones, and a cow’s stomach recreated in silicon directly references the myth of Frankenstein. The locked lockers can be seen alternatively as a brain rehashing the same thoughts over and over, or a stomach regurgitating partially digested bits – or even as a recreation of the emotion-laden script of an imaginary conversation between the artist and artificial intelligence.

Cooper Jacoby was born in 1989 in Princeton (NJ, United States). He lives and works between Miami and Los Angeles. Having conducted personal research on the history of materials, the artist systematically uses innovative techniques (on nickel, copper, rubber, and silicone, for instance) to create his sculptures. Jacoby’s approach aims at connecting various types of notions and artifacts, as well as transforming the invisible into vibrant, thought-provoking perceptions.