Martine Johanna was born and raised in Gelderland, Netherlands and has studied at ArtEZ the Academy of fine Arts in Arnhem, obtaining a Bachelor and a Master degree. She has exhibited in multiple Solo shows in the Netherlands, Europe and the United States. Her work is part of several private collections and has been widely published. Her paintings were also featured in two episodes of the HBO hit series True Detective.

Martine Johanna’s practice mainly consists of producing visual work in the form of paintings. In addition, she investigates how one conceptual origin is reflected in diverse layers of communication such as; drawings, written texts, installations and audio. She prefers to work on series for solo exhibitions.

The overarching concept is based on personality conflicts between the authentic, self-taught and the learned mannerism and discomfort of projected morality. It is a visual analogue that explores the boundaries of our (patriarchal) society from a personal perspective, experience and the resulting vision. The works are an autobiographical visual attempt at unraveling the psychic landscape of the developing woman caught in a moment of internal conflict. In the works there is a constant battle between fiction and reality, a dialogue permeated from various points of view. The work is infused with a mysterious narrative that holds a palpable knowledge that each character in the work has a complete and complex history which the viewer can never fully comprehend, but is still recognizable.

The paintings contain a mix of figurative and abstract elements with a visually stimulating prismatic palette. These colors are a reference to primary impulses, the color spectrum of toys, flowers, childlike seduction and optimism. With the color spectrum and composition, the viewer is subconsciously seduced to explore the deeper more disturbing layers beyond the decorative. (Or not) The painting technique has been developed autonomously and consists of a multitude of small paint strokes in unmixed colors. The works seem realistic from afar, but the closer you get, the more the tension between reality and fantasy becomes visible.

shows, interviews
and Time

Podcasts
Sound & Vision by Brian Alfred Lo-Fi Pod by John Wentz

Selected past publications; Beautyfulbizarre / Juxtapoz Magazine / Metal magazine, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine / BOOOOOOOM / Wall street international magazine / Fresh Paint Magazine / Curvey / Hyde / Chloe / Underworld / Thslife / Hifructose.

"The last thing I wanted was infinite security and to be the place an arrow shoots off from. I wanted change and excitement and to shoot off in all directions myself, like the colored arrows from a Fourth of July rocket."

From The Bell Jarr by Sylvia Plath.

Supported by:

Solo and two person exhibitions

2021 The Dark House Of Gloria, Hashimoto contemporary, San Francisco, US
2020 Balancing Act, Massey Klein Gallery, New York, US
2020 Surrender Dorothy, KochXBos Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2018 Life is but a Dream, Massey Klein Gallery, New York, US
2018 Dark Matter, KochXBos Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2017 Something's Wrong, Massey Lyuben, New York, US
2016 Dancer, Spoke Art, San Francisco, US
2016 Happy Days, Bright Side Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2014 The Grand Illusion of Sanity, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2012 While We Wait for the Sun to Come (duo), Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2011 Utopia (duo), Sprmrkt, Amsterdam, NL
2010 Souvenir, Spui 23, Amsterdam, NL

Selected group exhibitions and art fairs
2020 Hashimoto Contemporary San Francisco, US
2019 Push Play, Massey Klein Gallery, NY, US
2019 Scope Art Fair, Miamy Beach, US
2019 Summer show, KOCHXBOS AM, NL
2019 12x12, Heron Arts, SF, US
2019 The Moleskine Project VIII, Hashimoto Contemporary, SF, US
2019 Seeing red, Thinkspace, LA, US
2018 Hands On, Massey Klein Gallery, New York, US
2017 Shaping The Future, Kallenbach Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2016 Summer Collective, Massey Lyuben, New York, US
2016 Format Neon, Massey Lyuben, New York, US
2016 Welcome to the Bright Side, Bright Side Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2015 Nyctophilia, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2015 Bad Dads – Wes Anderson, Joseph Gross Gallery, New York, US
2015 KunstRai with Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2015 The Moleskine Project I, Hashimoto Contemporary, SF, US
2015 Quotes, Lines & Lyrics, Hero Complex Gallery, LA, US
2015 PRISMA Collective, Spoke Art, San Francisco, US
2014 Imagined Worlds, Hero Complex Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2014 Last Breath of Summer, Subtext Gallery, San Diego, US
2014 King For A Day, Stephen King, Hero Complex Gallery, Los Angeles, US
2014 Miscellaneous, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2014 Supersonic I, Spoke Art, San Francisco, US
2013 Summer Collection, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2013 On Paper, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2013 Realisme Amsterdam with Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2011 Collectie Imaginaire, Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, NL

Curatorial exhibitions
2015 Nyctophilia, Walls Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

Education
MA, ArtEZ – Institute of the Arts, Arnhem, NL
BA, ArtEZ – Institute of the Arts, Arnhem, NL