Ryan Gander Swan Song (They will only encourage you to perform the script), 2024

Ryan Gander's Swan Song (They will only encourage you to perform the script) consists of an animatronic puppet resembling a small-scale look-a-like of the artist. The puppet appears to be resting on a garbage bag. Moving his head from one side to the other, his chest rising with regular breaths, the toy-like representation of the artist also speaks, reciting a circa 13 minute free verse poem about an imaginary alter ego.

Swan Song (They will only encourage you to perform the script) doll represents this fictional alter ego, an artist who has not been successful, who is obsessed with attention, overly narcissistic and generally disinterested in contributing to human culture. The text spoken by the puppet was written by Ryan Gander to address these topics. At the same time, one senses, the "little stink" as Gander calls him, is also stand-in for the artist's fears: is the real Ryan really better than that? Has he transcended his dread of becoming like him?

Ryan Gander has integrated animatronic elements for some of the artists most iconic works, among them his animatronic mouse coming out from the wall, bundles of banknotes peeking out of the wall, as well as larger scale animatronic puppets such as a gorilla hiding under a desk.