Charlee Swanson
“for humanity”
A “Fresh Air Montclair exhibition” 475 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair NJ 07042
Special thanks: Greenwood Development, Saxum Real Estate
Curated by Mary Z
Installation I: Charlee Swanson, “I AM U U R ME”
My work is primarily about the materials I use: broken glass, steel, paper and other abandoned materials. I recycle, and reuse, discarded materials from glass shops and metal fabricators with the intent to manipulate the surface of steel and cultivate rust. I use torches, grinders, and hammers to scar, mar, and manipulate the surface of steel. Rust is cultivated using time, elements, and weather to make images appear.
When I break glass I destroy its intent and assign it a new identity. I draw in glass by breaking it, using light and shadows to project images. I control the line with tools and techniques I developed. The original purposes of the glass and metal are no longer recognized by the viewer as objects of support, protection, and construction. I see this as a form of alchemy.
I continue to push the limits of my materials to communicate and to evoke emotion in the viewer.
– Charlee
Installation 2: Charlee Swanson, “Lost Souls”
