Ted Swiet: Artist Statement

Fragmentalism090816_4.jpg This collection represents intangible things.  Time, Clarity, Identity, Power, and Everything.  I am examining them in fragments or basic components to create a tangible understanding.

In the pieces, "Fragments of 1-9 and 0", there are layers of acrylic with fragments painted on each layer. As you pass by them they come into focus and then out of focus. These are about time and how it is coming or going, you never have it. You see “0” or “4” but the number isn’t really in there. Your brain arranges the fragments based on the familiar image of a film trailer second, and creates the second. “Do you have Second?”

In Black Reflecting White , and White Reflecting Black, the 1’s and 0’s are binary code. The Black numbers read “Black”. But the reflection of the black numbers is white, and the binary code reads “ White” in the reflection.  It’s made with 2 layers of glass and a mirror. The piece is about clarity.  Parts of Black are used to create White and parts of White are used to create Black. “It’s all there in Black and White”

Sex Machine is designed to hang over your bed, and used to decide who is sleeping in the bed. Each switch is marked with a Male or Female symbol and control a different set of lights. There are 4 male switches and 4 Female switches. The Male set of lights spell “He” or “Him” in binary code going vertical. The Female switches spell “She” and “her” In the center is “you”and “ Me” . Use the switches to create any combination of Him, Her, He ,She, She, her, He, Him Etc. If you turn all the switches on and the center, it reads “ SEXES”. Thats what we all have in common. also “You and ME are in the X panel. The S and E are backwards because Sexes is a palindrome. If you hang it in front of a mirror the reflected image is exactly the same. - “Whatever turns you on”

In Power, there are 40 on/off switches each switch is marked with a 1 or 0. 1 means the switch should be on, the 0 means the switch should be off. The combination of switches spells “ POWER” in binary code. If any switch is in the wrong position you will not have power.  Power is achieved by cooperation.

And “Infinity” - is about everything else. The other pieces in the show are very precise and require lots of measuring and accuracy. This one is made of brass and copper tubing in a random path of an infinite loop, There is no measurement of any of the parts and pieces. Everything is randomly connected to everything else.  “You can’t have everything”,  Everything  is infinite.