Eye, Sea, You: Maxwell Johnson

January 10 - March 9, 2024

Opening Reception: January 26, 2024 during Winter ARTcrawl

Maxwell Johnson brings together a series of paintings that show the development and discovery of his unique artistic style. With a heavy use of black paint contrasted by vibrant colours, Maxwell expresses the internal experience of personal struggles with mental health, financial instability and conforming to societal standards.

The exhibition’s title, Eye, Sea, You, came out of the recurring symbols and themes that, in hindsight, connect this body of work. Eyes, windows to the soul, are a focal component in many of Maxwell’s paintings. The sea flows throughout this series with blue brushstrokes swirling in the abyss, imbuing each painting with expressive depth that alludes to the subjective “you” beneath the surface.

“Eye, Sea, You.” A pun but a simple and effective phrase more people than ever need to hear. The social distancing of recent years brought with it a sense of isolation and loneliness that continues to flood our collective mental health and needs to be addressed before it drowns us.