2 minute read
Erik Johnsen Goes to the Norman Rockwell Museum
On the Prowl...
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED
New exhibit demonstrates how imagination invites the impossible.
The urge to create has been stalking artist Erik Johnsen his entire life. “It’s uncontrollable, like a sneeze. That’s how all the great art pieces come, there’s no stopping it. It has to happen. There’s just a need to create and you just can’t help it,” he said.
WHERE FANTASY MEETS REALITY
Through his fantastical sculptures, Erik Johnsen illuminates a world full of wonder. His piece, Galaxy Cat, will be joining a collection of unique and original works in
Land of Enchantment,
a celebration of mythology and fairytales activating the grounds of the Norman Rockwell Museum this summer in Stockbridge, Mass. This juried outdoor sculpture installation is being held in conjunction with the Museum’s exhibition
Enchanted: A History
of Fantasy Art, which opened in June.
PLAYING THROUGH THE BLEAKNESS
A defining characteristic of Erik Johnsen’s work is how he plays with our perception of what is possible. During the last year, reminders of the world beyond the one before us were a welcome sight. Johnsen remained productive during the pandemic, living and working outof-state since his divorce and the closing of the Fantasy Workshop, his extraordinary home and studio of 20 years in Argyle. One project Johnsen did last year, a series of 22 fun dog sculptures, found their way to select storefronts on Broadway in Saratoga. “I was trying to take a grey, dismal period and show people there is still something colorful out there and to not be afraid of bleakness,” he said.
CREATOR AND CARETAKER OF MAGICAL CREATURES
Unimaginable brightness exudes from Galaxy Cat, a wonderous 9 ½ ft. long beast that reflects stunning spectrums of light from every angle when the sun hits it. To achieve the broken prisms of rainbows that radiate from Galaxy Cat, Johnsen wrapped a sawhorse in wire screen, covered it with spray foam, aluminum flashing, and a speciallytreated holographic film. “Galaxy Cat is a star beyond my capability. He was born inside me but has a life of his own. All I do is care for him. I’m just the guy who drives him around,” said Johnsen. The construction of Galaxy Cat is similar to Johnsen’s earlier piece, Hell Hound, which was on display at a variety of locations, including at Saratoga Comic Con in 2017.
