William H. Johnson (1901-1970) is today one of the most celebrated artists of the Harlem Renaissance – the cultural movement that since its beginning in 1918 in New York sought to redefine Black life in the USA. While Johnson has been acclaimed for his expressive and vivid style of portraiture during his mature Harlem period (1938-1944), his many years as an expatriate artist in France, Denmark and Norway remain underexplored in a large-scale exhibition.
This retrospective exhibition, planned for venues in both Europe and the USA, will introduce Johnson’s life and work from his artistic beginnings in the 1920’s through the end of his career in 1947. The exhibition will contextualize the specific geographic locations that shaped his artistic development and explore central themes of his oeuvre, from the explorations of his identity as Black artist to his extensive portrayals of people and places wherever he lived, from his use of art as a mode of activist engagement in US and transatlantic affairs to his iconic portrayals of everyday life in Harlem.
By tracing the trajectory of Johnson’s career across multiple international sites – including the USA, France, Denmark, Tunisia, Norway, and Sweden – this exhibition will highlight the transatlantic inspirations at the roots of modern art.
Top-billede: William H. Johnson, Midnight Sun, Lofoten, 1937
William H. Johnson
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