Erin M Johnson - Artist’s Statement
@erinm-johnson introduces and analyzes the inherent ataraxia and candor of optical color, legible text, light and overall movement through a visual space by touching on a multilayered and in-depth, diaristic dialogue through readily available mediums including craft-store paint, hot glue, plastic wrappings, and other various found objects. They attempt to manipulate and study the theories of color, light and visual space with the use of extreme vibrancies along with rapidly paced, staccato rhythm and faux-randomly structured shifts in hue. The use of cheap materials and ignorance of refined production try to reflect on the brief academic training they received at the Kansas City Art Institute. Johnson draws inspiration from movements such as Surrealism and the Dada movement, looking at artists like Marcel Duchamp, Louise Zhang, and Yves Tanguy.
After a work is complete, the attachment that was initially shared between the artist and the piece becomes obsolete, thus, touching and damaging of any kind are not only excused but in fact encouraged.