artist statement

Caught somewhere in-between folk and media art, alienation and wonder, Denton Fredrickson’s work invites experiential and contemplative interactions with sound, objects, and constructed space.  The seductive lure of both old and new wonders, fantastic inventions, and absurd theories are familiar territories for Fredrickson.  He investigates (and invents) their histories and representations in popular culture through research, collaboration, humour, and the practice of making.  His recent interest in the intermingling of traditional, material-based processes with kinetics, electronics, and digital fabrication has led him to explore how speculative fiction can become awkwardly nestled within the everyday.  Other interests include: material media infrastructures, the home improvement industry, distraction, media archaeology, collage, interface and sound design, automatons, hand-drawn animation, and data physicalization.

bio

Denton Fredrickson was born in Drayton Valley, Treaty 6 Territory, Alberta, Canada in 1977.  Before completing a multidisciplinary BFA in 2001, Denton worked as a welder for Kananaskis Provincial Park, received his Trade Certificate of Lutherie (traditional acoustic instrument design and construction) from the province of Saskatchewan, and completed his Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy/Religious Studies/Anthropology) from the University of Lethbridge, Canada and University of Pune, India.

Fredrickson received his Master of Fine Arts (Sculpture and Media Art) from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2003. He recently completed a Masters in Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication at Controlmad Advanced Design Center (Madrid, Spain, 2022).  His work has been exhibited across North America, Europe, and Asia.  He currently works out of Lethbridge, Treaty 7 Territory, Alberta where he is an Associate Professor (Sculpture and Media Art) and Art Department Chair at the University of Lethbridge.