Tim Johnson b. 1947

  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Screen Artist),
  • Artist (Photographer)
A painter by profession, Johnson initially studied architecture at Sydney University which is not surprising given his family's strong ties to architecture both in the public and private sectors. He taught for some years at NSW schools. Johnson was an early and major collector of Western Desert Aboriginal art.
Tags: Conceptual art, Aboriginal connections, Spiritual values

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Painter, a son of Peter Johnson, former professor of architecture at Sydney University, chancellor UTS and name partner in the firm of McConnell, Smith and Johnson; his brother is Chris Johnson, NSW Government Architect since the late 1990s. Tim Johnson was an early and major collector of Western Desert Aboriginal art from the 1970s when he was married to the writer and historian of Aboriginal Art, Dr Vivien Johnson. He first studied architecture but turned to art under the influence of the experimental culture surrounding what later became Sydney University’s Tin Sheds. He taught for some time at Kogarah Girls High School in Sydney’s working class south. His early exhibited works of art were transgressive experimental films and photographs. Later he turned to painting and his most successful early works were his 1987 collaborations with Kaapa (Mbitjana) Tjampitjinpa (c.1926-1989) and others (including possibly Michael Nelson Jagamara) some of which were exhibited in one of the Sydney Biennales.

There is some speculation that the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra also commissioned a work from him.

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Writers:
Staff Writer
Joanna Mendelssohn
Date written:
1999
Last updated:
2012