I'm a multi-disciplinary artist interested in the dismantling and re-imagining of those aspects of society which separate us, and the depiction and celebration of what unites us as humans.
The former may appear in my work as barriers which seem impassible, but are shown to not be so, or as all-encompassing ideological structures which are shown to, in fact, be only partial matches on reality. The latter may be universal subject matter, like time, need for water, or the presence of the sun.
I obsess over the ontological understanding and revealing of the ties between subject and meaning. In this way, I find semiotic explorations ala Magritte, Kosuth, and Messer particularly exciting. What is the difference between what is, and what is shown in a piece of art? Do signs and symbols carry meaning intrinsically, and/or do we ascribe such meaning at our peril?

Photography is new to my practice (I have used it extensively for documentation, but began making images as art pieces in 2024). With it, I intend to explore aspects of the art world which I think have been given short-shrift over the last 40 years or so of art criticism. Namely: beauty, nostalgia, sexuality, romance, eroticism, social media self-image, and the mundane.
I am inspired by the photographic work of Nate Walton, Andrea Mete, Juergen Teller, and old American Apparel advertisements.
Some critics have thought such topics off-limits as they can seem unsophisticated and risk objectification of the subject.
While these risks must be kept in mind, I do not think they mean such a feat is impossible. In fact, I believe these topics are so integral to what it means to be human, that we must explore them through art.
Timothy Sweeney
BFA UCLA
MFA Goldsmiths University of London

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