DICK CRUGER

BIOGRAPHY

Dick Cruger has spent his lifetime in Detroit creating art.

From magic and cardboard illusions in grade school, to scenery and props while studying at Wayne State University in Detroit, he has tried to find ways to interpret what rumbles through his brain.

He uses whatever techniques and materials that help illustrate his ideas.  In his years in car design andfabrication he learned skills that he still uses in his art—clay, woodworking, metal craft, mold making, plastics, graphics and stereo lithography.

One small book he made 25 years ago prompted a change in the direction of his work.  He began exploring artist books to interpret his ideas.  The success of a 2003 show in Tokyo encouraged him to continue.

Found objects and words have always played a part in his work. Many of his books and sculptures include his own poetry.

In 2005 he began a long distance collaboration with Yasuo Tanaka, a Japanese artist.  Having never met in person , they spent years communicating by postal mail.  They conceived a project that would use trick photography to capture similar scenes of Tokyo and Detroit.  They published the book PARALLEL UNIVERSE, and in 2011 they had a joint show BONES in Michigan.

Currently he is using the figures that he and Tanaka have developed to create automatons and Bunraku puppets to be used in film.