Michael Johnson
(Australia 1938– )
- Title
- Frontal 2
- Other titles:
- Frontal II
Frontal Two - Year
- 1968
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- synthetic polymer paint on canvas
- Dimensions
-
198.5 x 214.0cm stretcher
- Signature & date
- Signed and dated c. verso on stretcher cross-bar, black synthetic polymer paint "MICHAEL JOHNSON 1968".
- Credit
- Gift of Michael and Margot Johnson 2000
- Accession number
- 88.2000
- Copyright
- © Michael Johnson
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
Michael Johnson, Sydney Ball, Dick Watkins and Tony McGillick all showed work in 'The field' exhibition held at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1968, the first comprehensive survey of Australian
colour-field painting.Johnson’s works from the 1960s onwards are primarily concerned with colour and the manipulation of spatial planes through colour relationships. 'Frontal 2' was one of two works he exhibited in The field. He developed it out of a series of modular-shaped canvases he began in 1965 in London, where he was able to experience first-hand the works of the New York School artists.
- Bibliography (14)
-
'Hard work: A new show reminds us of the limitations of colour-field abstraction' by Christopher Allen, pg. 12-13., The Weekend Australian 17 Oct 2009-18 Oct 2009, 17 Oct 2009-18 Oct 2009, 13. Focus room ‘Tackling the field’ exhibition review.
'Tackling The Field' by Natalie Wilson, pg. 1-29., Tackling THE FIELD 2009, 2009, 8, 10, 15 (colour illus.), 16.
Anthony Bond (England; Australia) (Commissioning Editor), Wayne Tunnicliffe (New Zealand; Australia) (Commissioning Editor), Contemporary: Art Gallery of New South Wales Contemporary Collection, 2006, 18, 40, 41 (colour illus.).
Barry Pearce (Australia) (Author), Michael Johnson, Roseville, 2004, 28, 29 (colour illus.), 138, 199. plate no. 11
'An exhuberant Johnson turns new artist at 50' by Christopher Allen, pg. 84., The Sydney Morning Herald 11 Feb 1989, 11 Feb 1989, 84.
Terence Maloon (Australia) (Author), Victoria Lynn (Australia) (Author), Michael Johnson paintings 1968-1988, Domain, 1989, (colour illus.). no catalogue numbers, not paginated
'Farewell to all that jolly fun' by Elwyn Lynn., The Weekend Australian 28 May 1988-29 May 1988, 28 May 1988-29 May 1988, page unknown.
Nick Waterlow (Australia) (Director), The 1988 Australian Biennale: From the Southern Cross: a view of world art c1940-1988, Sydney, 1988, 160, 279. no catalogue numbers
'Michael Johnson' by John McDonald, pg. 346-350., Art and Australia (Vol. 24, No. 3) Autumn 1987, Autumn 1987, 348.
'A hard won leap to freedom' by Robert Rooney, pg. 14., The Weekend Australian 16 Aug 1986-17 Aug 1986, 16 Aug 1986-17 Aug 1986, 14. Review of Melbourne University Gallery survey exhibition.
Terence Maloon (Australia) (Author), Michael Johnson paintings 1968-1986, Parkville, Aug 1986, 9 (colour illus.), 33. cat.no. 1
'The significance of The Field' by Patrick McCaughey., Art and Australia Dec 1968, Dec 1968, 241 (colour illus.), 242.
'Judgement day'., Nation 23 Nov 1968, 23 Nov 1968, page unknown.
Elwyn Lynn (Australia, b.1917, d.1997) (Author), Royston Harpur (Australia, b.1938) (Author), Patrick McCaughey (Northern Ireland; Australia, b.1943) (Author), The field, Melbourne, 1968, 33 (illus.). cat.no. 30
- Exhibition history (9)
-
Young contemporaries exhibition 1968, Farmer's Blaxland Gallery, 13 Mar 1968–23 Mar 1968.
The field, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], 21 Aug 1968–28 Sep 1968.
The field, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 30 Oct 1968–24 Nov 1968.
Michael Johnson paintings 1968-1986, University Gallery, The University of Melbourne, 06 Aug 1986–03 Oct 1986.
Australian Biennale 1988: From the Southern Cross: A View of World Art c1940-1988, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 18 May 1988–03 Jul 1988.
Australian Biennale 1988: From the Southern Cross: A View of World Art c1940-1988, National Gallery of Victoria [St Kilda Road], 04 Aug 1988–18 Sep 1988.
Michael Johnson paintings 1968-1988, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 08 Feb 1989–02 Apr 1989.
Australian abstraction 1965-1985: from the collection, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 09 Dec 2006–25 Jan 2007.
Australian Collection Focus: Tackling THE FIELD, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 05 Sep 2009–29 Nov 2009.
