ERIC JOHNSON: Selected Works

Eric Johnson creates enigmatic and sensual abstract sculptures that are constructed with pigment, wood and resin. Johnson’s work seamlessly unites two traditions of Southern California art - the sleek and sexy aesthetic of the Finish Fetish movement and the organic and elegant tradition of woodworking. His handcrafted pieces are sheathed in resin skins, which often reveal glimpses of the wooden architectures encased within. Endlessly fascinated by physics and science, Johnson’s references range from cosmology and astrophysics to the human form.

Johnson’s work is deeply personal - in addition to drawing inspiration from his ancestral boat-building heritage (which is Norwegian, Scottish and Cree Native American) - these skeletal forms are also inspired by a severe neck injury, and the resulting pain, that Johnson suffered early in his career. His father was one of California’s expert auto body restorers, and Johnson skillfully incorporates tools from this industry to craft his sculptures. This notion of memory and both personal and shared histories is essential to Johnson’s practice - the artist has remarked that “Each individual work on its own is intended to inspire an exploration of light, color and transparency. While moving from piece to piece it is my aim that people start to sense the many facets of the piece and acknowledge any memories that the work might invoke.”