In 'Acrobatic Technicians', a painting by much loved artist Ted Dutch, there is a sense that the artist has created his own mythology - a parallel universe or a possible future where the boundaries between man and machine are blurred and humanity seems almost a strange, superfluous adjunct to the busyness conducted around them. The central characters, in contrast, exhibit very human qualities, no matter how fantastical the environment they inhabit. The technicians, who perform feats of acrobatic mastery amid a background of complicated machinery, possess a pathos which is immediately apparent to the viewer and which serves to make even Dutch's most outlandish situations grounded and emotionally believable. In true Ted Dutch style an astounding level of detail is achieved with the expert integration of screenprinting and painting being a testament to the intense concentration and time devoted to this piece and serves to enhance the sense of possibility and a desire to explore the world created by the artist.