Lester Johnson

Lester Johnson was an American artist born on January 27, 1919, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he passed away on May 30, 2010, in Westhampton, New York. He was a prominent figure in the Figurative Expressionism movement, which emerged as a counterpoint to the dominant Abstract Expressionism of the mid-20th century. Johnson's work is characterized by its dynamic and expressive depictions of the human figure, often rendered in bold, gestural brushstrokes. He studied at the Minneapolis School of Art and later at the Art Institute of Chicago, before moving to New York City in 1947, where he became an integral part of the downtown art scene. Throughout his career, Johnson's work was exhibited widely, and he held teaching positions at several institutions, including Yale University, where he influenced a generation of artists. His contributions to the art world are noted for their vigorous exploration of the human condition and their impact on the resurgence of figurative painting in the latter half of the 20th century.