David Johnson

Dark Matter (2024) – Light bulb, Electric cable, 3.0 black paint.

This oversized, ironic light bulb is painted with 3.0 black paint which absorbs 95 percent of all the light that falls on it.[1]This contradicts the normal function of light bulbs. The visual effect of this object is that it approximates the 2 dimensional; it is similar to the shadow that appears on the white wall behind it. The visual solidity of the object is now in question. To be confident of its solidity one would have to touch it. This piece questions the reliability of the visual.

[1] ‘Black 3.0 – the World’s Blackest Black Acrylic Paint’, Culture Hustle, accessed 14 February 2025, https://culturehustle.com/products/black-3-0-the-worlds-blackest-black-acrylic-paint-150ml.

 

Artist statement

I am a UK based, blind artist. I am unashamedly a blind artist rather than an artist who is blind. In my art practice I use a wide range of sculptural materials and processes. My pieces range from the monumental to the hand-held and often involve familiar, everyday objects. My art mission is not to overcome the barriers that blindness undoubtedly puts in the way but rather to show that experiences of beauty and knowledge are core elements in a blind person’s life.