Goldsmiths - University of London

Stephen Johnstone

I have worked in collaboration with Graham Ellard since 1993 and during this time our work has been concerned with the relationship between pre-cinematic spectacle and immersive space and abstract film and cinematic spectacle. This body of work exists at the intersection of architecture and film and draws on and emphasises the architectural qualities of the projected video image to create an immersive and dynamic space that the spectator experiences as a kind of performer. Most recently our work has engaged with the conventions of representing architectural space in film.

Academic qualifications

Sept 1994    Phd examined and awarded, Middlesex Polytechnic. Title: Anecdotes of Romantic Failure: Issac D'Israeli's 'Dissertation on Anecdotes', 'Characteristics of Genius', and 'Calamities of Authors'

1991   Full time M/Phil Research, Middlesex  Polytechnic, funded by 3 yr British Academy Research Scholarship:  Failure and the Romantic Image of the Artist

1986  BA Contemporary Cultural Studies, Middlesex Polytechnic

1982  Cert Ed Fine Art  Goldsmiths College, University of London

Presentations and exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions (all with Graham Ellard)

5th April –2nd July 2006 ‘Motion Path’  De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill, Sussex exhibition 12 screen video installation. Funded by Film London and commissioned by De La Warr Pavillion.

3rd Nov –2nd Dec 2001 ‘Head Corridor’, Platform Gallery, London. 4 channel video/sculpture installation.

4th Feb - 27th Feb 2000 'Wall of Death', The Paper Bag Factory, large scale video installation. Exhibition funded by London Arts Board, organised by Film and Video Umbrella. Catalogue ISBN  0948 797495.

21st Aug-10th Oct 1999 'Wall of Death', Cornerhouse, Manchester. Commissioned by Cornerhouse and Film and Video Umbrella, London. Funded by  Arts Council of England and Cornerhouse, also supported by Central St Martins College of Art, catalogue published by Cornerhouse Publications. ISBN 0948 797495. Projected video Installation.

13th  Jan–28th Jan 1998 'Geneva Express' John Hansard Gallery, Southampton. Originally commissioned by Photographer's Gallery/Film and Video Umbrella, London with funding from London Arts Board, London Film and Video Development Agency and sponsorship from Philips UK and Citizen UK. Catalogue ISBN 0854326537. 12 miniature monitor and 2 screen projected video installation.

4th -30th Oct. 1993 'Passagen' Watershed Media Centre, Bristol, for the National Photography ConferenceFunded by Arts Council of England and Watershed Media Centre.IInteractive projected video installation.

Public Art Commissions (with Graham Ellard and dePaor Architects)

May 2001-permanent 'Holding Pattern' , A13 Artscape Project, Lodge Avenue Interchange, Barking, Essex - a collaboration between architect  Tom de Paor and  Ellard/Johnstone. Design Stage completed July 1998. On site in May 2000. Financed  by The Arts Council of England Millenium Lottery Fund/Highways Agency. Permanent large scale public lightwork

Group Exhibitions (all with Graham Ellard)

21st June-10th Nov 2003 ‘Holding Pattern’; Drawings, Photographs and Models of permanent large scale public lightwork in ‘Open: New  Directons in Public Space’’. Van Alen  Institute, New York. with Tom De paor. Funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts,  New York State Council on the Arts. (Catalogue: Raymond W. Gastil & Zoe Ryan eds, published by Van Alen Institute and Princeton Architectural Press pp144, ISBN 1-56898-407-7). Other exhibitors included: Zaha Hadid, Peter Eisenman; Norman Foster and Partners; Vito Acconci Studio; Diller and Scofidio; Snohetta, Norway; Jauregai Architects, Brazil; StudioMas, South Africa; and 12 other international architects . Toured to Chicago Architecture Foundation, Chicago, National Building Museum, Washington

13th Feb-22nd March 2003  ‘13 cameras’. Permaculture’ , Project Space, Dublin. Two large scale drawings .

12th April -16th -June 2002 ‘Holding Pattern’; Drawings, Photographs and Models of permanent large scale public lightwork in ‘The Architectural Association of Ireland Excellence in Architectural Design Awards 2002’, exhibition of awarding winning projects (group exhibition) Tom DePaor/Graham Ellard and Stephen Johnstone. Office of Public Works, Dublin. (International juried competition) (book: New Irish Architecture 17/ AAI Awards ISBN 0946846812). Other exhibitors included Grafton Architects; O Donnell Tuomey Architects.

14th July-2nd Sept 2001 ‘Head Corridor’ in  ‘Gymnasion’  Bregenzer Kunstverein, Bregenz, Austria. Projected video installation. Curated by Peter Lewis and Wolfgang Fetz (Gymnasion catalogue, Bregenzer Kunstverein, Wofgang Fetz and Peter Lewis (eds). ISBN 3-900851-93-X.) Other exhibitors included Cerith Wyn Evans, Victor Burgin, David Shrigley, Runa Islam.

1st-10th Sept. 2000 ‘Passagen CD-Rom’ in First Architectuur Filmfestival,  V2 Gallery,  Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Other exhibitors included Julia Scher, Tim Etchells/Hugo Glendenning. 1 CD Rom on single screen.

14-24th'April 1998 ‘Passagen CD-Rom’ in 'Open Windows International Media Art Festival, KulturHuset, Stockholm House of Culture, Stockholm, Sweden. 1 CD Rom on single screen.

4th March 1998-10th Aug ‘Passagen CD-Rom’in  'Electronic Gallery', KIASMA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland. Work purchased for CD –Rom gallery, permanent collection. 1 CD Rom on single screen.  

 6th Sept-22nd Nov. 1997 ‘Geneva Express’' in Airport: An International Exhibition of Photographic work and Video'. The Photographer's Gallery, London and Architectural Association, London.  Large scale video projection. (Book: Airport. Most Important New Buildings of the Twentieth Century (ed Steven Bode and Jeremy Miller) ISBN 0907879500). Other exhibitors included Martha Rosler, Chris Burden, Fischli and Weiss, Fritz Rotgans, Stephen Gill.

11th-15th Sept.1996 ‘Passagen CD-Rom’ European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück, Germany. (catalogue)

20th April-8th June 1996 ‘Passagen CD-Rom’ 'Never Walk Alone', Photographer's Gallery, London. Other exhibitors include Merry Halpern, Eugene Atget. 1 CD Rom on single screen.

7th March-21st April1996 'Pandemonium', ICA, London. (catalogue). 1 CD Rom on single screen.  

27th March-14th July 1996 'Burning the Interface, International Artists' CD-Rom', Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia. Other exhibitors included Bill seaman, Eric Ganz, Lynda Dement, Miroslaw Rogaia, Jean Louis Boissier. Catalogue: Mike Leggett (ed Burning the Interface , International Artists' CD-Rom  essays by Mike Leggett and Kevin Murray, pp110,  Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia. 1 CD Rom on single screen. Australia toured to Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Australia, Centre for Contemporary Photography & Experimenta,  Melbourne, Australia, Brisbane City Hall Gallery and Museum, Australia, , Ngapartji, Adelaide, Australia

22nd-26th Nov 1995 Passagen CD Rom in 'film+arc.graz’, 2nd biennale of film und architektur', Graz, Austria. Catalogue: film+arc.graz, 2nd biennale of film und architektur. Edited by Charlotte Pöchhacker.  Graz, Austria. Text in English and German) ISBN 3-9500284-1-2. Also includes essays by Marc Auge, Scott Bukatman, Erkki Huhtamo, Georges Teysott

7th July-5th Aug 1995 ‘V-topia - visions of a virtual world’, at the Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Large scale  interactive video installation. Other exhibitors included Lyn Hersman, Graham Weinbren, curated by Charles Esche, Steven Bode, Eddie Berg (catalogue)

29th April-4th June 1995 ‘Passagen ’ VideoPositive’95 - Festival of Electronic Arts,  Tate Gallery, Liverpool. Large scale  interactive video installation. Other exhibitors included Smith/Stewart, Lyn Hersman, Keith Piper (catalogue: edited Lisa Haskell & Lowena Faull, VideoPositive’95 - Festival of Electronic Arts, published by Tate Gallery, Liverpool)

18th Nov –20th Dec1994 ‘Passagen ‘ in ‘The City of Dreadful Night’, Atlantis, London. Curated by Rear Window. Large scale  interactive video installation. Other exhibitors included Ceal Floyer, Jonathan Parsons.

9th Nov –23rd Jan1994 ‘Passagen CD-Rom’ ‘Revue Virtuelle 12 - Les hypermédias’ at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Other exhibitors included Naim June Paik, Robert Wilson,  George Legrady, Brad Miller (notebook no 12, Editions Du Centre Pompidou,  with essays by jean-Louis Boissier, Pierre Levy, george Legrady ). 1 CD Rom on single screen.  

30th July –11th Sept1994 ‘V-topia: visions of a virtual world’, an international show of works using electronic media. Tramway, Glasgow. Large scale interactive video installation. Other exhibitors included Lyn Hersman, Graham Weinbren, Clive Gilman. Curated by Charles Esche, Steven Bode, Eddie Berg (catalogue)

Selected publications

Published CD ROM, Essays, Articles, Catalogues etc.

Oct 2006 Anthony McCall by Graham Ellard and Stephen Johnstone’
Bomb Magazine, New York (Conversations between artists series) (6,000 interview in Journal)(with Graham Ellard.

May 2005 Anthony McCall’s Miniatures in Black and White 1+1+1 journal (Short essay in Journal) (with Graham Ellard) 

Oct. 1997 'Passagen'  Electric Art series no. 002. Artists' CD-ROM and book with essays by Steven Bode, Chris Darke and Ellard/Johnstone. Published by Ellipsis Architectural Press/Film and Video Umbrella, with assistance from the Arts Council of England.  (with Graham Ellard) ISBN1-899858-16-4  (with Graham Ellard)
Jan. 1997 Photographic project  in COIL, no. 4, 1997.  (with Graham Ellard)

Nov. 1995 ‘Walter Benjamin’s Panorama’ – 8,000 word essay in film+arc. graz, 2nd biennale of film und architektur. Edited by Charlotte Pöchhacker.  Graz, Austria. Text in English and German) ISBN 3-9500284-1-2. . (with Graham Ellard( also includes essays by Marc Auge, Scott Bukatman, Erkki Huhtamo, Georges Teysott

July 1995 'Passagen' - essay  in catalogue for Passagen at the Ikon Gallery, published by the Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (also published by Rear Window, London, November 1994 as part of the catalogue package for ‘The City of Dreadful Night’).  (with Graham Ellard)

April 1994 (Editor)  Laura Godfrey-Issacs. The Alien and the Domestic. Exhibition Catalogue . Published by The Winchester Gallery / Rebecca Hossack, London / Condesco Lawler, New York.

Spring 1993 'Believe Me. Everybody Has Something Pierced in California : A Conversation with Nayland Blake'  New Formations. A Journal of Culture / Theory / Politics   no. 20. Special Issue on Perversity. (with John Gange).

Spring 1993 'The Politics of Seduction' in Baudrillard Live: Selected Interviews edited by Mike Gane, Routledge, London (originally published in Marxism Today, Sept 1988).