Stephen Johnston
Works
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Gangster, 2024Stephen JohnstonView more details -
ReluctanceStephen JohnstonView more details
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ChargeStephen JohnstonView more details
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CinderStephen JohnstonView more details
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Portrait of consequenceStephen JohnstonView more details
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Portrait of ambitionStephen JohnstonView more details
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Portrait of Duel, 2023Stephen JohnstonView more details
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Portrait of ConsciousnessStephen JohnstonView more details
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Portrait of Inflated MoralityStephen JohnstonView more details
Biography
Award winning artist Stephen Johnston was born in County Down in 1987, and graduated from the University of Ulster with a first-class honours in Fine and Applied Art. Johnston’s work explores the relationship between our humanity, changing culture, and the link between them.
Johnston places realistic figures and ordinary objects in unusual contexts, giving new meanings to familiar things while challenging the observers perceptions of reality. His quirky and thought-provoking work is closely related to surrealism and is inspired by Belgian artists René Magritte and Michaël Borremans; along with photo-realist artist like Denis Peterson.
Since graduating, Johnston’s work has been selected for display at the Saatchi Gallery in London, RHA in Dublin, and the RUA in Belfast. He has won a number of awards including the Diageo Emerging Artist Award in 2010, the Towry Award at the National Open Art Competition in 2012, The DeVeres Award at the RHA in 2012 and the KPMG best emerging artist at the RUA in 2016.
Johnston has gained a reputation as one of Ireland’s most promising young artists and his work can be found in many corporate and private collections throughout the world including Ireland, UK, France, US, Asia, and Australia.
He previously stated: “My work has been particularly inspired by the classic and modern surrealists and from observation of everyday life and objects, such as films, nature, books and stories. I aim to engage the viewer with drama, intrigue and humour”.
Johnston places realistic figures and ordinary objects in unusual contexts, giving new meanings to familiar things while challenging the observers perceptions of reality. His quirky and thought-provoking work is closely related to surrealism and is inspired by Belgian artists René Magritte and Michaël Borremans; along with photo-realist artist like Denis Peterson.
Since graduating, Johnston’s work has been selected for display at the Saatchi Gallery in London, RHA in Dublin, and the RUA in Belfast. He has won a number of awards including the Diageo Emerging Artist Award in 2010, the Towry Award at the National Open Art Competition in 2012, The DeVeres Award at the RHA in 2012 and the KPMG best emerging artist at the RUA in 2016.
Johnston has gained a reputation as one of Ireland’s most promising young artists and his work can be found in many corporate and private collections throughout the world including Ireland, UK, France, US, Asia, and Australia.
He previously stated: “My work has been particularly inspired by the classic and modern surrealists and from observation of everyday life and objects, such as films, nature, books and stories. I aim to engage the viewer with drama, intrigue and humour”.