Daniel Lorenz Johnson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Daniel Lorenz Johnson (born May 24, 1974) is an American artist, activist and writer who has worked for the advancement of clothing-optional opportunities on public lands through interdisciplinary, collaborative projects involving media art, popular culture, and progressive politics (including ecological economics, environmental issues and social liberalism). Johnson has also offered criticism of the clothes free movement for failing to activate enough interest and advances in public lands advocacy.
[edit] Biography
Born in Seattle and raised on Mercer Island, Washington he graduated from Vancouver Film School in 1998 and The University of Washington in 2000 with degrees in art.
After learning about clothing-optional activities on public lands and reading about The Freedom to be Yourself (TFTBY) campaign he briefly joined that campaign. In late 2001 and May 2, 2002 he received some brief publicity with activist Terri Sue Webb after two short public urban nude TFTBY protests with her in Portland and Bend, Oregon. At the latter protest, he was briefly held in jail after being arrested for disorderly conduct and interference with governmental administration, charges which were later dropped.
In 2001 he co-founded The Body Freedom Collaborative (BFC) with Mark Storey. In 2003 Daniel Johnson helped organize World Naked Bike Ride with Conrad Schmidt. In 2005 he founded The Organic Living Party [1], a progressive political party based on the German Lebensreform movement. The party, together with the Work Less Party USA hosted the World Naked Bike Ride Seattle and, in 2006, the Naked Pumpkin Run Seattle.
In Seattle he has helped in focused efforts to push for the development of clothing-optional city beaches. He co-founded two free beach groups in Seattle: the Seattle Free Beach Campaign and Magnuson Beach Bares as well as co-founding Seattle Swims and the NAC Seattle Swims, which is believed to be only the second such indoor swim organized at municipal pools facilities in the USA. In 2006, he came up with the idea of an election time event, which later became the Nude Beaches Yes! national campaign, a collaborative project primarily organized by The Naturist Action Committee, with support by BFC as well as other grassroots skinnydipping organizations around the country.
On July 29, 2006 he ran the entire length of the 5K UnitedHealthcare Torchlight Run at Seafair (celebrating its 30th Anniversary) in Seattle wearing only bodypaint, socks and shoes in an attempt to encourage others to participate in a creatively adorned manner and to jumpstart a related event called the Jaybird Run. It is unknown if this was the first full-length streak of the Torchlight Run.
Johnson also founded Naked.Wikia.com.
[edit] Further reading
- Johnson's involvement in various media events is documented at BFC's Media Coverage page [2] and WNBR Seattle's coverage page [3].
- Nude & Natural (N), Beyond Safe Havens: Oregon's Terri Sue Webb, By Daniel Johnson Issue 21.3, Spring 2002 [4].
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Exposed and stark naked -- on purpose: But not all nudists support 'guerrilla' plans for prominent public exposure, by P-I reporter Kathy George, April 7, 2003 [5].
- Oregon Daily Emerald (student-run publication of the University of Oregon) "Naturists pursue active nude pastimes, locales: Naturist organizations such as Body Freedom Collaborative are working to promote nude activities in designated areas " by Ryan Bornheimer, May 20, 2003 [6].
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Trio behind the arts: Three activists put on an eye-opening display yesterday by taking most of their clothes off at the Fremont Fresh Art Festival, by P-I reporter Kathy George, 16 June 2003 Front page of local section, with color picture [7]
- Nude & Natural (N), Seattle's Solstice Spectacular/Body Positive Creativity Abounds... at the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade by John Cornicello & Daniel Johnson. Also Guerilla Nudity/Wave Makers: Introducting the Body Freedom Collaborative by Mark Storey. Issue 23.1, Autumn 2003.
