In Plain View is the first solo show of renowned Swedish photographer Gerry Johansson in London and we have selected 30 exceptional photographs that span the six decades of his career.
“There are several common denominators found throughout Gerry Johansson’s work that become apparent with even casual viewing” writes Jeffrey Ladd in the accompanying text. “Some of those shared characteristics are obvious at first glance, for instance; the physicality of several of Johansson’s books and exhibition print sizes, the apparent use of traditional analog materials; while other traits like the sense of stillness, the seeming perpetual daylight, and the camera’s steady almost drone-like orientation to the world set an underlying commonality. Perhaps a trait most recognizable is his choice of working primarily in black and white. Black and white photography has its way of automatically referencing the distant past and many photographers question its use considering the ease of the color processes today but Johansson’s explanation for the choice rings honest and unpretentious, linked not with an artistic “strategy,” but with choices informed by the pleasures of perception.
What I find refreshing about Johansson’s work is the sense one feels of his enjoyment of moving through an unfamiliar landscape and simply taking in what is before him. The work seems formed not in the mind first, but through the physical footsteps he takes and directness at which he looks. This is not unique to Johansson by any stretch, but the sense of solitude and fullness of his frames are a reward for those who pause and look.”
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