"Influenced by the works of Hopper and Hans Hofmann, Mitchell Johnson: Personal Color (Selected Small Paintings 1988-2026) is shaped by decades of visits to Paris and Cape Cod, two places that have anchored and evolved Johnson's painting over the course of his career. Hofmann, through his teaching, transported the aesthetics and concerns of the School of Paris across the Atlantic, eventually creating a group atelier curriculum that would expand the breadth of American Modernism through his theory of push and pull."
"While pursuing his MFA at Parsons School of Design in the 1980s, Johnson studied under many of Hofmann's former students, including Paul Resika, Jane Freilicher, Leland Bell, Robert De Niro, Sr., and Larry Rivers, which informed his personal work and painting style. Through this exhibition, Johnson seeks to bridge the connection between Hofmann's teaching legacy and its impact on contemporary American painting."
Mitchell Johnson presents 25 intimate paintings spanning 1988–2026 at Galerie Mercier in Paris, near Edward Hopper's former residence. The paintings further Johnson's exploration of color, shape, and scale shaped by decades of visits to Paris and Cape Cod. The work reflects influences from Edward Hopper and Hans Hofmann and from Hofmann's pedagogical lineage transmitted through Parsons School of Design instructors such as Paul Resika, Jane Freilicher, Leland Bell, Robert De Niro Sr., and Larry Rivers. Opening reception is February 28, 2026, with an artist talk on March 14, 2026. Johnson's paintings appear in hundreds of private collections and museum retrospectives.
Read at Hyperallergic
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]