Oct 25th 2013

Nick Johnson: Studio Nudes

@ Document

845 W Washington Ave., 3F Chicago IL

Opening Friday, October 25th, from 5PM - 8PM

On view through Saturday, December 7th

Document is pleased to present Studio Nudes, a solo exhibition of new work by New York City based artist Nick Johnson.

Studio Nudes is a selection of four large-scale color photographs that reinterpret contemporary figure portraiture. Johnson photographs individual male and female models in traditional poses, lying on beds, sitting in chairs, or holding standing poses within the frame. Johnson photographs his subjects in the studio with deadpan accuracy, paying just as much attention to the room as to the the figure itself.

Johnson’s process begins by selecting a studio and props for the model to occupy. Striving to maintain a timeless quality, the model is chosen for their ability to remove contemporary context. The model and lighting are added to the scene where slowly a pose is arrived at. The model must hold this pose for roughly 20-30 minutes while the frame is perfected, the lighting fine-tuned and the focus set. This process of slowing down the act of looking and deconstruction of the frame is what originally brought him to drawing and painting as a teenager, and is apparent in his photographs which in turn reference classical portraiture.

Nick Johnson was born in Chicago and currently lives and works in New York City. He studied photography under Stephen Shore at Bard College before receiving a BFA in film from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. For the past twenty years he has developed a commercial photography business specializing in Architecture and Interiors. His work appears regularly in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Luxe Magazines. Simultaneously he has focused on a studio practice concentrating on portraiture. Johnson’s studio images were featured in the American Photograph 2008 and 2011. This will be his first solo show in over 10 years.

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