(AMERICAN d. 2020)

Robb Johnson creates haunting and mysterious black and white photographs reminiscent of the chiaroscuro style of the old Italian masters. The unusual atmospheric conditions he finds by photographing in the dark of night imbue his photographs with mystery. He sets a stage where the actors seem to have just stepped off or have yet to arrive for some unknown drama. Johnson’s photographs evoke a world where the viewer is free to explore with his or her own emotions and awareness – a drama unbeknownst but to them. Robb was a scholarship student at Art Center College of Design and earned a BFA in Photography. He worked in advertising photography for over 20 years, specializing in creating visual environments for national hotels with his wife Dale. He decided to turn his visual focus inward and pursue his art for himself. His work has been featured in B&W Magazine, Spotlight and B&W Single Image for 2006, 2007 and 2008 and his book, Robb Johnson Photographs was published by The French Press in 2008. Robb passed away on the island of Maui, HI in 2020.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I work with the journey we are all on; in a figurative mode of expression, conveying a meaning other than the literal; using symbolic figures, actions or places, my landscapes. In my visual world, what you don’t see opens up your imagination, allowing the mystery of the unknown to color the image.

The images I create evoke a world where the viewer is free to explore with his or her own emotions and awareness - a drama unbeknownst but to them.