WILLIAM JOHNSTON

‘AKAs, Parallel Personas and Self Portraits’

Preview Friday 24th January 2014 6pm – 9pm
(featuring Live MPC sets from Jenome and Chief Lowhorn)

Exhibition open to the public: Sat 25th – Sun 26th Jan | Sat 1st – Sun 2nd Feb | Sun 9th Feb

Opening Times: 11am – 5pm

Also open ‘by appointment’ until Sunday 9th February (inclusive)

Born out of the decision to drop his adopted artistic pseudonym, his relationship with technology and through experimentation with the mathematics of probability, the work examines the psychology behind personal identity, online behaviour, communication, security and alter egos, with a narrative of physics and iconoclasm.
Science and religion are juxtaposed in a battle of abstraction, multi layered compositions explore physics, faith, philosophy and scientific theories – pondering the bigger picture of the Universe to exploring up close the smallest atom of matter, imagining what has been and gone, where the unseen is as important as the visible.

Artist Bio:
Born in Liverpool, 1975.  Whilst painting throughout his life, it is only in recent years that he has made steps towards becoming an exhibiting artist.  Trained in Fine Art, Illustration and Graphic Design – this unconventional approach has subsequently enabled the artist to form unique reference points and extensive creative knowledge, which he applies with finesse and inventiveness.  He is an advocate of the Liverpool Art scene and curated the ‘This Is Liverpool’ edition of Creative Review in December 2011.

In 2010 William Johnston embarked on a body of work that would span a 2 year period culminating in a series of work entitled – ‘AKA’s, Parallel Personas & Self Portraits’, born out of the decision to drop his adopted artistic pseudonym whilst visiting Berlin, a love/hate relationship with technology and his love for the pondering of our existence and perception of the universe.

This work examines the psychology behind personal identity, online behaviour, communication, security and
alter egos, with physics and iconoclasm forming the structure, language and narrative of the work.
Exploring science theories such as; order & chaos, self similarity, mandelbrot set, parallel universes,
circadian rhythm, mirror neurons, counterpart theory, observable universe and black holes to name but a
few.

The initial work formed through experimentation with the mathematics of probability as a method to produce
his final series of original and unique hand altered screen prints – comprising of 15 screens printed onto a
1000+ pieces of coloured paper in 15 colours and a palette of 15 paint & ink colours.  A selection were then
hand altered using acrylic paint/oil stick or spray paint…you do the maths! Its safe to say that no 2 pieces are
the same!

This work lead to a larger body of accompanying original paintings and installations. Science and Religion are juxtaposed in a battle of abstraction, multi layered compositions explore physics, faith, philosophy and scientific theories – pondering the bigger picture of the Universe to exploring up closethe smallest atom of matter, imagining what has been and gone, where the unseen is as important as the visible.

Johnston is currently organising solo exhibitions for 2014 and is open to offers of exhibitions,
interviews, commissions and collaborations.