Westport Artist David Stephen Johnson Debuts European Exhibitions

Press release from Gabriela Insignares Kuiman:

Dec. 21, 2020

Westport-based abstract painter David Stephen Johnson will finish the current year with three main exhibitions taking place in France and Spain, from December 2020 to January 2021, marking the artist’s debut in the Old Continent. This agenda illustrates an intense spirit and movement present in Johnson’s art, his imprint, and -more importantly- what has propelled his career beyond the American artistic circuit over a short period of time.

David Stephen Johnson, whose latest exhibit was during Miami Art Week’s last edition in December 2019, will present a selection of his recent works from December 7th to the end of January 2021 in a group exhibition called Year Representation at Galerie Sonia Monti. This up and coming gallery is based in the exclusive 8th Arrondissement in Paris, France, neighbouring the Champs Elysées. The group exhibition will engage a diversity of contemporary abstract and expressionist artists from all over the world, such as Begoña Lafuente (Netherlands), Vasco Kirov (South Africa), Liesbeth Willaert (Belgium) and Valérie Piquard (France). Johnson will be the only American painter featured in this exhibit.

Galería Azur, a prominent Latin American gallery and auction house, has also invited Johnson to participate in their second exhibition of the year, following the newly-expanded gallery’s debut in the heart of Madrid, after several years as leaders in Buenos Aires and Bogotá. Lucas Kokogian, gallery director, discovered Johnson’s work and was mesmerized by his composition and color use, and considered Johnson’s work congruent with the represented artists featured in their group show - running from December 10th until January 10th: Iara Kaumann Madelaire (Argentina); Sergio Ceccoti (Italy); John McCam (Argentina); Katja Van den Bogaert (Netherlands); Nicolas Garcia Manaur and Marie Pierre Arpin Bott (Algeria).

At the beginning of 2021 Johnson plans to return to Europe, this time invited to show his work at the International Contemporary Art Fair in Paris - renowned ART3F. Represented by Madrid’s Van Gogh Art Gallery as a selected international artist, his exhibition will run for the duration of the art fair: from January 31st to February 2nd. ART3F is a contemporary art salon located at Port de Versailles that welcomes, across their 10,000 square meters, just one hundred galleries worldwide. This major cultural event attracts collectors, cultural institutions and art lovers alike. Following a strictly developed biosecurity protocol, the event sets the exhibition one step ahead in reinventing art fairs in these challenging times, keeping Paris at the avant-garde.

An active end-of-the-year is approaching for this fast-paced artist who, despite the context, managed to focus on his artistic creations, strengthening his outreach with outstanding results. The participation of David Stephen Johnson in these three European art exhibitions confirms the relevance of his work in the international contemporary art scene.

This press release was produced by Gabriela Insignares Kuiman. The views expressed here are the author's own.