Chris Johanson - Perceptions (Perception #5)
American, b.1968
Perceptions (Perception #5), 2007
Color sugarlift aquatint etching, 11.75 x 11.5 inches
Edition 3/30
Paulson Press
08.019e

Alumni Gift

Born in San Jose California, Johanson uses his childhood in American Suburbia as inspiration. Some of the main themes of his work include the human experience, and the resulting physical world people inhabit together. There are frequent criticisms of advertising, capitalism, the war – contem¬porary American society – but they are balanced with expressions of compassion for human struggle. He has had no traditional art training. He instead picked up his technique by painting such things as skateboards and drawing cartoons on bathroom stalls with a sharpie. Recycled material and graffiti often combine to create his work centered on the simple day to day stories of life.

“Perceptions are thoughts that I want to share. Sometimes with the text pieces, I like them to be more ephemeral. Some days I might spend a lot of time painting people walking out on the street, but with the emphasis on the sandals. I just came here and I remembered that I loved walking down the beach with the sandals on. These pieces are all symbols, or peaceful visuals. I wanted to make pictures that looked like a little kid did them because I hated school, and I hated education.”
~Chris Johanson