Steve Johnson: The Farewell State
14. March - 11. May 2018

Steve Johnson
Academic Angst #3, 2017
wood, brass, enamel paint
49,2 × 33,9 × 2,4 inches
(125 × 86 × 6 cm)
Unikat

< 9 /11 >
Steve Johnson - Academic Angst #3, 2017, wood, brass, enamel paint

Blick in die Ausstellung

Werke

Steve Johnson: The Farewell State

Opening reception on March 11, 2018 at 3 pm.

The Farewell State is a phonetic anagram of "The Welfare State" - the idea that the government of a state protects and promotes the well-being of its citizens, both in social as well as economic terms. The narrow majority of British voters (51.9% over 48.1%) that voted for Britain to leave the EU have led their fellow countrymen into unchartered waters and left many in despair. Whether Britain makes a success of Brexit, as Prime Minister Theresa May proclaimed to do, remains to be seen.

Steve Johnson's art has always had to do with questions of existentialism. He takes his inspiration from everyday scenes and objects, but gives them a twist, so that they are not simply models. The park benches the sculptor makes are situated on an island-like section of earth high above eye level with the park bench placed perilously close to the edge - hardly a place for relaxation. His series of "grey pieces" display the interiors of homes - curtains, radiators, books and book shelves all in grey. The grey lamp dangling from a power socket signals that something has gone wrong, i.e. the floor is missing. The table that the lamp had been on has fallen into an abyss, as well as any other furniture that may formerly have been in the room. All that remains is what was fixed to the wall.

In the past forty years Steve Johnson's work has been exhibited widely in the U.K. and Europe. He studied at Goldsmiths and at Chelsea College of Art. His tutors at Goldsmiths were Michael Craig-Martin, Tim Head and Richard Wentworth and at Chelsea, Richard Deacon.

Parallel to Johnson's exhibition screenprints by Sir Michael Craig-Martin will be presented in the gallery studio. Craig-Martin was appointed a Royal Academician in 2006 and was awarded a knighthood in 2016 for his services to art.