Art Opening: Steven M. Johnson "Fear Furniture and Public Therapy Buses"

Exhibition hours - Thursday–Sunday 12-5pm

Trunk Gallery is pleased to present the work of Northern California artist, Steven M. Johnson, a self-described ‘whimsicalist’ and ‘possibilitist.’  Johnson is an artist with a vision.  A future vision, that is.  You see he draws objects that do not exist.  “A sort of R. Crumb meets R. Buckminster Fuller,” concludes Allison Arieff, design critic and former Dwell editor.  But in actuality, his art is the sum of his parts:  A former urban planner, cartoonist and future trends analyst.

Johnson’s meticulous ink drawings are a study in humor and inventive genius.  Incredibly, this is the first solo exhibition of his artwork despite having three books of his work published, the first in 1984, and having appeared in countless magazines.  However, permeating the art world does not appear to have ever been his intention.  Indeed, he is more likely to be giving a TEDx Talk entitled “Inventing Without A Purpose” (Indianapolis, 2013) than be found in an art gallery.  (He has also been tapped to give the keynote address at the World Future Society’s annual conference in Orlando, FL in July.)

Johnson describes his
process as “lateral thinking in whimsical product design”.  He has created a yogamobile, zipper alarm
underpants and devised a moat around your house that you can swim in which also
keeps burglars out (one of several dual purpose inventions).  Johnson’s inspirations are part social
commentary, part mad scientist and part absurdist. 

http://www.trunkgallery.org/