Recently, I stumbled upon the wonderfully amusing found object and kinetic sculptures of Nemo Gould. Born to artist parents in 1975, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gould has been creating his odd creatures and abstract sculptures from old vacuum cleaners, kitchen pots, gasoline pumps, and whatever else he can get his hands on, for more than 20 years.
Named after the protagonist in Windsor McKay’s comic strip “Little Nemo in Slumberland,” Gould’s work has fittingly evolved to reflect the images and mythology of comic books and Science Fiction. Equally as fitting is his tendency to collect and dismantle anything with moving parts.
Gould has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute and a Masters of Fine Arts from U.C. Berkeley. After graduation, he quickly threw himself into the pursuit of his childhood dreams. “My work appeals to the 7-year-old boy mind, because I still have one… I take silly very seriously.”
Over his career, Gould has produced a prolific body of work that attempts to reconcile the innocent wonder of youth with the dull complexity of the adult experience. “Most adults are dangerously lacking in wonder. As we age and learn more of the answers to life’s mysteries, I think we lose part of what keeps us alive. When I am working, I am always trying to make things that can produce a child like response from a jaded adult—it’s a matter of life and death!”
Gould has exhibited in numerous galleries and museums across the United States and abroad and has been featured often in national media, including Wired and Juxtapoz magazines.
To see more of Nemo Gould’s work and to watch video of his sculptures in action, visit Nemomatic.com.
