Aaron Johnson New Paintings
Aaron Johnson’s second solo exhibition with Joshua Liner Gallery, on view from June 7 to July 6, 2018. Featuring a new body of work, Johnson introduced vibrant crowd scenes populated by grotesque yet whimsical figures, each rendered in fluid acrylics on raw canvas. Drawing from influences like Kirchner, Ensor, and Color Field painters, Johnson created surreal gatherings, part ritual, part spectacle, where psychological tension, humor, and spiritual resonance collide. With his staining technique, Johnson replaced line with aura, allowing forms to emerge organically and narratives to remain open-ended, inviting viewer interpretation.
Aaron Johnson lives and works in Brooklyn and received his MFA from Hunter College in 2005. His multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, and innovative techniques like reverse-painting and sock assemblage. Johnson’s work has been exhibited at major institutions including MoMA, MASS MoCA, and the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, and is held in collections such as The Museum of Modern Art (NY), Colección Solo (Madrid), and the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation (CA). He has received fellowships from The MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Marie Walsh Sharpe Space Program.
The Guests, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 96 x 84 inches (244 x 213.5 cm)
How the Lemons Got Loose, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 96 x 84 inches (244 x 213.5 cm)
Nothing Comes from Nowhere, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 78 x 66 inches (198 x 167.5 cm)
A Cowboy and a Tomcat Walk into a Bar, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 78 x 66 inches (198 x 167.5 cm)
In the Stream, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 26 inches (121.9 x 66 cm)
New Morning, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 28 x 22 inches (71.1 x 55.9 cm)