Courtlandt Swartz (b. 1993) lives and works in Toronto Canada. Swartz graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design University with a BFA in 2015. Having attended Toronto’s Academy of Realist Art from 2010 -2012, Swartz found the inspiration to create works that involve the viewer without the use of any subject matter or objective message.
In 2013 Swartz began to suspend sculptural forms of paint within geometric prisms of hand cast acrylic glass. His art practice is focused on creating minimalistic works that blur the distinction between two and three-dimensional painting. Using a unique process of suspending sculptural forms of paint within hand cast acrylic glass, Swartz creates multi-faceted works that challenge the viewer's perception of space and presence.
In 2017, Swartz began experimenting with back painted tinted plexiglass as a medium for his large scale paintings. These works utilize abstracted linear geometric forms and deep vibrant tones to create pieces that are both skillfully made and visually striking. The back painted tinted plexiglass allows for selective surface clarity, creating windows and apertures that offer a glimpse into the internal elements, which are concealed and revealed as the viewer's vantage point changes.
Swartz's artworks are inspired by the phenomena generated within his sculptural works and focus on evoking feelings of meditativeness, tranquility, and peace. His artworks are skillfully made, visually striking, and are meant to challenge the viewer's perception of space and presence.
"My artworks are a reflection of my interest in the congruity between presence and space, and the ways in which our perception of these elements can be manipulated." - Courtlandt Swartz