Chris Johanson

Chris Johanson

Chris Johanson playing in Tina Age 13 at the Clarion Alley Block Party, San Francisco, 2007
Born 1968
San Jose, California
Nationality American
Known for Graffiti, murals, sculpture, installation art, anda painting
Movement Mission School
Awards Whitney Biennial exhibition, SFMOMA SECA Art Award

Chris Johanson is an American painter and street artist. He is a member of San Francisco's Mission School art movement.

Biography

Johanson was born in suburban San Jose, California in 1968. He grew up skateboarding, attending punk rock shows, drawing, and with a dry yet sharp sense of humor. He has no formal training in art, learning some technique by painting skateboards and houses.[1] He was a prominent 'zine artist, and his publication "Karmaboarder," a skateboarding and art zine he published in the early to late 1980's, helped shape what later became initial well-known works. He moved to San Francisco, California's Mission District in 1989, where he became a member of the local art community, initially drawing cartoons on lampposts and bathroom walls using black Sharpies.[1] In 1994, Johanson did one of the initial board graphic runs for a new San Francisco-based skateboard brand, Anti-Hero, which brought his art to a wider audience. Also, during this time, he played in a band called "Tina, Age 13," which was scrawled on a drawing the band came across randomly. The band toured several times, and record numerous 7" records, an EP called "The Alcoholic Father of My Inner Child," and a full-length LP, "Good Feelings," which remains officially unreleased. In 2004 he bought a home and moved to Portland, Oregon.[2] with his wife, artist Jo Jackson.

Johanson achieved international fame after participating in 2002 Whitney Biennial exhibition. The next year he was one of winners of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's SECA Art Award."[3]

Works

Johanson's works, involving expressing urban themes through found and recycled materials and graffiti, are a response to his suburban childhood.[1] Johanson has made a number of site installations, and prefers to work in that medium.

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Chris Johanson". KQED's Spark. April 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
  2. ↑ Jamie Berger (Spring 2004). Planet Magazine http://www.jamiebergerwords.com/html/articles/articles/johansonplanet.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Jamie Berger (2003-04-10). "Adobe proved fertile ground for 'Mission School' artist". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-09-04.

External links