Artist and designer Jürg Lehni speaks about his growing family of mark-making machines, the custom-made software that runs them, and the quest of discovering the character of each device and giving it an identity and a voice. Whether it is a drawing machine that uses spray-paint (Hektor) or chalk (Viktor) on large walls, or a piece of software that extends and opens up Adobe Illustrator in order to allow users to build their own tools (Scriptographer), the underlying concern is always the same: To treat technology as a language and an open structure rather than a means for large corporations to lock down consumers in a cozy, standardised environment. Any component to a given work, whether purely digital or physical, has an inherent character and vocabulary that holds hidden potential. Once aware of this potential, the components become ingredients, and the process of creating works starts resembling cooking.
