Ian Johnson (Born 1979) was born in Syracuse, NY but currently lives and works in San Francisco. He’s inspired by drunken studio sessions and old school Stereo skate videos. He is the creative director of Western Edition Skateboards. It’s through skateboarding that he discovered jazz and the pair have gone hand in hand ever since. In Johnson’s personal work he has been celebrating pioneers of jazz and personalities in his distinctive style, which blends colorful abstract geometric patterns with black and white portraits. His skateboarding soundtrack is the free flowing melodies of jazz that he says echo through his mind as he cruises the streets of San Francisco. In 1999, with Kent Uyehara, Johnson founded Western Edition, after moving from Syracuse, New York, to the City by the Bay, and it’s the only place a team series that pays tribute to Eric Dolphy can be found, or see Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday and Sun Ra -inspired boards.
Johnson was recently selected to create the RIP tribute montage and the visual identity for Worldwide Awards at KOKO by Gilles Peterson. Johnson loves the label’s output from the 50’s and 60’s, Horace Silver, Francis Wolff’s photos, the Reid Miles designs, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, et al. Their style always seemed so sophisticated and continues to feel that way. Johnson has held solo, two-person and group exhibitions at Pittsburgh, Park Life, San Francisco, The Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, FTC, Tokyo, White Walls, San Francisco, Future Primitive, San Francisco, Guerrero Gallery, San Francisco, Athen B. Gallery, Oakland, Fort de Bruissin, Lyon, Library, Creme de la creme, Tokyo, Gallery 16, San Francisco, Scoop, Charleston, SC, Fifty 24 SF, San Francisco, Flanuer, Punch Gallery, San Francisco, among others.
