About Wade Guyton

Wade Guyton, born in 1972 in Hammond, Indiana, is a contemporary artist who redefines the creation of digital artworks using unconventional tools. Guyton employs everyday technologies such as inkjet printers, scanners, and desktop computer programs, eschewing traditional art-making instruments like brushes and printing plates. Through a deliberate misuse of these digital tools, he feeds materials such as blank paper, catalogue pages, and linen through inkjet printers multiple times, often pushing the equipment beyond its intended capabilities.

This innovative approach has led Guyton to develop a “signature style” marked by recurring symbols like Xs, Us, stripes, and flames. These motifs are digitally manipulated in computer applications before being printed onto various substrates, merging digital precision with elements of chance and error. The process results in artworks that embody both the perfections and imperfections of their creation, with mechanical errors and fluctuations in toner levels introducing unintended streaks and overlaps that lend a painterly quality to the otherwise minimalist and mechanical compositions.

Guyton’s work is a fascinating exploration of abstraction in the digital age, where abstract art emerges not solely from the artist’s direct hand, but from an interplay between human intention and machine execution. His abstract prints and canvases challenge traditional notions of art production, inviting viewers to consider the role of technology in contemporary art. The unpredictability of the final print reflects a surrender to the chance elements of his digital tools, making each piece a unique testament to the fusion of technology and art. Wade Guyton’s innovative approach to digital image production has established him as a significant figure in the realm of contemporary abstract art.

Auction record: US$6.0m, Sotheby’s, 2014