ST. LOUIS, March 12, 2024—The first of two “Currents” exhibitions this year will feature Dallas-based sculptor Tamara Johnson. The free exhibition opens Friday, April 5 with a public celebration and an artist talk.
“Currents 123: Tamara Johnson” will showcase the artist’s depictions of household objects, ranging from colanders and garden hoses to an array of buffet treats, meticulously crafted to fool the eye. Her sculptures are created from a variety of materials, including copper, concrete and resin and are sheathed in silver leaf, coated with enamel and brushed with diamond dust. The assemblage of sculptures seems to be plucked from a rummage sale or kitchen drawer. Known for her witty, hypernaturalistic sculptures, Johnson’s new work focuses on grasping notions of femininity, sensuality, vulnerability and humor through a wide range of media and cultural touchpoints.
The exhibition will also include a video essay that utilizes the visual language of 1960s video and performance art, horror movie special effects, and experimental soundscapes to explore spaces where familiar objects meet, permeate and merge with unseen systems of the body.
Johnson is the recipient of the 2022-2023 Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Fellowship, which included this exhibition and a residency at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis.
Founded in 1978, the “Currents” series serves as a laboratory for emerging and mid-career artists to create and exhibit new work. Featured artists have included Matthew Buckingham, Dale Chihuly, Leonardo Drew, Brian Eno, Ellen Gallagher, Frank Gehry, Donald Judd, Julie Mehretu, Richard Serra and Cindy Sherman.
“Currents 123: Tamara Johnson” will be on view through Sept. 22 in Gallery 250 with the video essay in Gallery 301. The exhibition is curated by Genevieve Cortinovis, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design. This presentation is generously supported in part by the Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Endowment Fund.
In the fall, “Currents 124” will showcase the work of Crystal Z. Campbell, a multidisciplinary artist who is the 2023-2024 Freund Fellow. Campbell is currently developing new works for the exhibition, which opens Friday, Oct. 25 at SLAM.
CONTACT: Molly Morris, molly.morris@slam.org, 314.655.5250
Tamara Johnson, courtesy of the artist
Press images for 'Currents 123: Tamara Johnson'
Click on any of the images in this gallery to download.
