Welcome Jess Johnson (RAiR 2023-24)
Jess Johnson in her RAiR studio.
Jess Johnson is a New Zealand born artist whose artwork reflects ideologies of technology and flesh, both ancient and futuristic. Extending into installation, video, VR, and fashion, her fictional world is initially developed by hand through her drawings. She lives and works between New Zealand and the USA. Jess Johnson is represented by Jack Hanley Gallery, New York; Darren Knight Gallery, Australia; Ivan Anthony Gallery, New Zealand; and Nanzuka Gallery, Tokyo.
Over the last decade, my drawings have documented an increasingly complex fictional world; they are meshworks of alien symbology, humanoid clones and messianic figures placed in voided architectural settings. My drawing practice feeds into installations and collaborations in animation, music, fashion, Virtual Reality, and textile art. These additional mediums bring the world of my drawings into physical and virtual spaces, providing immersive experiences for audiences and blurring the reality of our world with the one I draw.
Drak Cystral, 2021, Pen, fibre tipped markers, acrylic paint, and gouache on paper, 33.5” x 25” (framed).
MEMS, 2022, Pen, fibre tipped markers, acrylic paint, and gouache on paper, 33.5” x 25” (framed).
Quilts, 2019, (Installation view), digital print on cotton with pieced fabric border, assorted textiles, thread, resin sword holders, various sizes.
Terminus, 2019, (Installation view), five virtual reality experiences, floor map, structures, framed drawings, 4-channel projection, banners.