Gary Malcolm Johnson

Artist statement

My artwork comes in the form of a linear representation of mundane, everyday objects, those we fail to notice or become complacent with. I set out to almost re-invent these images, to challenge the way we perceive them, using line as an exaggeration of their shape/form, to bring attention to them.

The objects I choose are often isolated, juxtaposed against colour or space, minimal in content and a play between line and flat colour backgrounds. My use of isolating each object comes from removing them from the content of their familiar surroundings, to put them in an invented and neutral space, the conditions being only affected by colour and space.

Viewpoint is very important to me. This can be an object facing away from the viewer, challenging the function of what a picture is supposed to be, or else discarded objects, creating a narrative to the work.

Images are restricted to minimum information, only enough to confirm what we acknowledge as recognisable, carefully selected, often with a nostalgic sentiment.