Projects

HOLD PLEASE: “An Apology to Loneliness” by Tom Cleveland explores isolation through stark imagery and emotive color, prompting viewers to reflect on their own disconnection. With help from the Johnson Atelier, Cleveland transformed his wax sculptures into durable wooden forms, each made from a different hardwood species. These sculptures were then incorporated into his cityscape photography, enhancing the emotional depth of the work.

“Bold Arcs and Lines” by Patricia Udell is a striking art piece that explores the interplay between fragility and permanence. Through the use of concrete, Udell challenges traditional notions of materiality, creating a juxtaposition between the heavy, solid nature of concrete and the delicate forms it encases. The work invites viewers to consider the themes of preservation and transformation, as well as the tension between nature and the built environment. With its intricate details and thoughtful composition, “Bold Arcs and Lines” encourages audiences to reflect on the ephemeral quality of life and the enduring impact of memory within the context of our surroundings.

“Memorial Stairs” by Sandy Williams is a poignant installation that invites viewers to engage with themes of memory and loss. This immersive piece represents both physical and metaphorical journeys, reflecting the complexities of grief and the process of remembrance. Through its thoughtfully designed structure, “The Wax Monuments” encourages visitors to navigate their own histories, creating a space for reflection and emotional connection. Williams masterfully blends artistic expression with architectural elements, prompting audiences to honor the past while contemplating the resilience of the human spirit.

The "Pinchot Horse" by Rosamond Pinchot is a bronze statue celebrated for its dynamic portrayal of equine strength and elegance, commissioned by the Hanover Shoe Farms Foundation for the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen, New York as a memorial to horses that didn’t win races, honoring their often-overlooked contributions. The Johnson Atelier played a crucial role in the creation of this piece, working with the 90-year-old Pinchot, a longtime sculptor and member of the famed Pinchot family.

"We Here" is a community art project by Roberto Lugo in Kensington, Philadelphia, featuring three 11-foot interactive sculptures based on Lugo’s ceramic works. Developed with Mural Arts' Porch Light program, these vessels reflect local residents' lives, culture, and resilience. Serving as three-dimensional murals, they are inspired by Lugo’s roots and are accompanied by public programs like pottery workshops and children's book distributions. Launched in summer 2024, this initiative aims to uplift and celebrate the Kensington community.

CLEAN INGREDIENTS: "The Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art features 28 artists exploring South Korea's cultural transformation since 1989, with highlights such as Meekyoung Shin’s soap sculptures that dissolve over time, symbolizing the fragility of life and cultural evolution and which invites reflection on the impermanence of existence.

Showcasing a mastery of ceramics and a unique blend of traditional European and Asian decorative arts with Afro-Latino heritage and Hip Hop culture.

On behalf of the Johnson Atelier and our stellar partners: You are invited to join us for the inaugural evening social celebrating Codaworx during Codasummit 2023. This promises to be an evening of libations, conversations, connection, and reflection, plus time for a whirl and a twirl.

SUGAR AS SCULPTURE: Walker partnered with Creative Time and JAD to produce her first-ever large-scale public project. Situated within the sprawling industrial relics of Brooklyn’s legendary Domino Sugar Factory, the installation—called "A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby" is a sphinx-like woman composed of massive blocks coated in several tons of sugar.

A STATE OF TRANSFORMATION: For "Late October," three sculptures were milled from a high-density material that could eventually be moulded and cast in bronze as positives, so the work appears to exist in permanent transformation.

MAKE ME A HORSE: A colloboration with Aria Dean and Greene Naftali Gallery, "FIGURE A, Friesian Mare" is a continuation of Dean's fascination with digital simulations. The artist brought JAD a rendered model of a small toy horse that had sustained a battery of simulated collisions. The finished 3D model that was then output and fabricated at JAD as a physical object, with the organic form of the horse barely recognizable in the finished sculpture.

CONSCIOUSNESS IS A SIMULATION: JAD worked with Aria Dean's digitally rendered geometric collisions and fabricated variable physical editions of "Little Island/Gut Punch," for Aria Dean and Greene Naftali Gallery.