Laurel’s work often takes place in or around water in site-specific locations and depicts uncanny juxtapositions between body and nature, realism and dream. She works across various mediums, including photography, experimental film, digital collage and painting, as well as moving images and interactivity to create imagery that addresses our understanding of time and space. She is particularly interested in the beach as a liminal or temporal space and the intersection of art and technology.
Her work has been exhibited extensively in Switzerland, Italy, Greece, England, France, India, Iceland, Portugal, Egypt, Argentina, Germany, Japan, Chile, Taiwan, Russia, the United States, and Canada. Most recently, her moving images were exhibited at the Athens Digital Arts Festival | Techno(s)cene in Greece, and Photo Basel in Switzerland.
Laurel’s work is in numerous collections, including the Government of Canada Department of Foreign Affairs, Suncor Energy, Palazzo Monti, Encana Corporation, Cenovus Energy, Glenbow Museum, the Royal College of Art, and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, as well as private collections in Canada, the United States, Italy, Greece, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. She has been featured in publications such as L’Œil de la Photographie / The Eye of Photography, Designboom, CLOT magazine, Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, The Art Talk Magazine, Elle Canada, and more.
Her research in the area of temporality, the moving image, interactivity, and generative art has been presented and published at peer-reviewed academic conferences in Italy in Rome, Florence, Milan, and Ravenna; the University of Greenwich, London UK; and the University of California – Los Angeles. She has been awarded grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Alberta University of the Arts, and Polaroid.
Laurel is represented by Herringer Kiss Gallery in Calgary, Canada and Artpowher Contemporary in Zurich, Switzerland.
Education
PhD Candidacy, Computational Media Design, University of Calgary.
Graduate Studies, Printmaking, Royal College of Art, London, UK.
MFA, Printmaking & Digital Media, University of Calgary.
BFA [with Distinction & Distinguished Exhibition], University of Saskatchewan.
BA, Studio Art, University of Saskatchewan.
Selected Professional Activity
Residencies + Fellowships
Artist in Residence - Palazzo Monti Residency Program, Brescia, Italy. 2017.
Resident Artist - Ionion Center for the Arts + Culture, Kefalonia, Greece. 2016.
Visiting Artist - Hellenic International Studies in the Arts. Paros, Greece. 2014.
Reader + Researcher - Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City. 2014.
Visiting Artist - American Academy in Rome, Rome, Italy. 2013.
Artist in Residence - Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, Isle of Skopelos, Greece. 2013.
Artist in Residence - Spiazzi Venezia, Venice, Italy. 2010.
Visiting Artist - American Academy in Rome, Rome, Italy. 2009.
Artist in Residence - A.I.R. Vallauris, Vallauris, Cote d’Azur, France. 2008.
Fellow - The Bau Institute, Otranto, Italy. 2007.
Artist in Residence - Apothiki Art Centre, Paros, Greece. 2007.
Artist in Residence - Apothiki Art Centre, Paros, Greece. 2006.
Visiting Artist - Hellenic International Studies in the Arts. Paros, Greece. 2006.
Artist in Residence - Sambard Islenskra Myndlistarmanna (SIM), Association of Icelandic Visual Artists, Reykjavik, Iceland. 2005.
Artist in Residence - Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, Isle of Skopelos, Greece. 2005.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
Artpowher Contemporary, Zurich, Switzerland. Wake. 2022.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary Canada. It's not the end of the world. 2022.
Artpowher Contemporary, Zurich, Switzerland. Situations. 2021.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Hypnos. 2017.
Ionion Center for the Arts + Culture, Kefalonia, Greece. Thirst. 2016.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Mondo Liquido. 2013.
Spiazzi Venezia, Venice, Italy. Acqua Vellutata Sospesa. 2010.
A.I.R Vallauris, Vallauris, South of France. Respiro. 2008.
Apothiki Art Centre, Parikia, Paros Island, Greece. Thirst. 2007.
Selected Group Exhibitions
Volkshaus, Basel, Switzerland. Photo Basel. 2024.
Δικαστήριο Σανταρόζα (Former Santarosa Courthouse), Athens, Greece. */ 20th Athens Digital Arts Festival 2024 | Techno(s)cene. 2024.
AUDIR Auditório Municipal do Peso da Régua, Douro, Portugal. 11th International Printmaking Biennial of Douro. 2023.
Kupfer Gallery, London, UK. All About Artists. 2023.
Galerie Lou Babazouk 2, Nice, France. Invitation au Voyage. 2023.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Exposure. 2023.
Museu do Douro, Portugal. 5th Global Print. 2022.
Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, Canada. LOOK Art Auction Exhibition. 2022.
Novosibirsk State Art Museum, Russia. Novosibirsk International Graphic Art Triennial. 2021.
Snelgrove Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. The Snelgrove Salon: Part I - From the Collection of the University of Saskatchewan's Art & Art History Collection. 2021.
MANA Contemporary, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. Palazzo Monti : Transatlantico. 2020/2021.
ARTPOWHER Contemporary, Zurich, Switzerland. MODERN WOMXN. You think you know me. 2020.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt. The Art of Staying at Home: Artists in the Time of Corona. 2020.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Artistic Pairings. 2020.
Museu do Côa, Portugal. Tenth International Printmaking Biennial of Douro. 2020.
Contemporary and Digital Art Fair MANA Contemporary x CADAF Online Contemporary + Digital Art Fair. 2020.
Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Fourth Global Print. 2019.
Palazzo Monti, Brescia, Italy. Pazzo Palazzo. 2019.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. Sampler. 2018.
Museu do Côa, Portugal. Ninth International Printmaking Biennial of Douro. 2018.
Herringer Kiss Gallery, Calgary, Canada. The Photographers. 2018.
Museo d'Arte della città di Ravenna / Biblioteca Classense, Ravenna, Italy. Generative Art International. 2017.
Douro, Portugal. Third Global Print. 2017.
Ionion Center for the Arts + Culture, Kefalonia, Greece. SEA(S) International Exhibition. 2016.
Museu da Vila Velha, Vila Real, Portugal. Eighth International Printmaking Biennial of Douro. 2016.
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada. From Our Collection: Recent Acquisitions 2015 - 2016.
Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, UK. RCA Secret 2015 (London).
A4 Space, Alserkal Avenue Contemporary Galleries, Art Dubai, United Arab Emirates. RCA Secret 2015 (Dubai).
Zhongshan National Gallery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Zhongshan, Taiwan. Printed in Canada / Taiwan. 2014.
Gallery of Angelica Library, Rome, Italy. Presenting interactive video painting installation, Acqua Vellutata Sospesa. XIV Generative International Art Conference. 2011.
RISE Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Happiness Machines. 2010.
Conference Presentations
XX Generative International Art Conference. Biblioteca Classence, Ravenna, ITALY. Chronophobia - Temporality, Technology, and the Artist. December 2017.
Material Environments: Sensing Time and Matter in Digital and Visual Culture Conference. University of Greenwich, London, UK. Playing With Time: Temporality at the Intersection of Art + Technology. Paper Presentation. July 2015.
Technology, Knowledge and Society – Eighth International Conference. UCLA - University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Eternal Recurrence, Temporality, and Technology: How Contemporary Computer Art Can Learn from Early Modes of Representing Time. Paper Presentation. January 2012.
XIV Generative International Art Conference. Rome, ITALY. The Narkissos Project. Paper + Presentation. December 2011. XIV Generative International Art Conference. Rome, ITALY. Acqua Vellutata Sospesa : Interactive Video Painting. Installation December 2011.
ACM Multimedia International Conference. Florence, ITALY. Acqua Vellutata Sospesa ; Interactive Video Painting. Paper + Presentation. October 2010. XIII Generative Art International Conference. Milan, ITALY. Acqua Vellutata Sospesa : Interactive Video Painting. Paper, Presentation, + Installation. December 2010.
XI Generative Art International Conference. Milan ITALY. Respiro. Paper, Presentation, + Installation. December 2008.
Selected Publications
Articles + Features
Mapping Printmaking: Work in Progress World Book. Curated by Nuno Canelas. April, 2024. Pg 58-61.
Laurel Johannesson - Parallel Universes. Francois-Laurent Renet. Art Talk Magazine. December 2022.
Podcast Picks! Art World Edition. Amy Kamin. Spotlight on Art Basel Miami Beach Magazine. November 2022.
Otherworldly - with Laurel Johannesson. Igrien Liu. Currant Magazine. June, 2022. ISBN/EAN: 9789083158327
Inside the LOOK2022 Art Exhibition at Contemporary Calgary. Chris Landry. Avenue Magazine. June, 2022.
LAUREL JOHANNESSON, mesmerising manipulated photographies to expose the vulnerability of the body. Simona Serban. CLOT Magazine. March, 2022.
Featuring a Recurring Cast of Figures, Laurel Johannesson Explores Liminal Space. Laura Shirk. Creative Magazine. March - April, 2022.
Situations. Yael Bar Cohen. Vouet Magazine. March 2022.
Work of Art: Sopra L'acqua 9. Katherine Ylitalo. Avenue Magazine. March, 2022.
Vignettes - Laurel Johannesson: "It's not the end of the world". Robin Laurence. Preview. February - March, 2022.
Calgary Arts Events to Check Out in February. Chris Landry. February, 2022.
Laurel Johannesson - Interview. Leila Antakly. Ninu Nina magazine. January 11, 2022.
Infinite Laurel Johannesson. Masha Orlov. The Know magazine, New York City, New York. September 22, 2021.
in conversation with: laurel johannesson. Emerald Arguelles. aint-bad magazine, Savannah, Georgia. August 19, 2021.
Balancing between the real, surreal and imagined: with Laurel Johannesson. FAYD Magazine, Manchester, UK. June 7, 2021.
ELLE Escape: Situations. Joanna Fox. ELLE Canada. June 2021. Pg. 98.
Laurel Johannesson’s Situations: Finding Comfort and Connections in Liminal Zones. Victor Sledge. Noah Becker's Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art. May, 2021.
Laurel Johannesson : Situations – The Oblivion Seekers. L’Œil de la Photographie / The Eye of Photography, Paris, France. April 26, 2021.
Intervista a Laurel Johannesson. Francesca Longhini. NEWLAB. Brescia, Italy. April, 2021.
Meet Artist, Laurel Johannesson. Artpowher Contemporary Vimeo and Youtube, Zurich, Switzerland.January 2021.
“Transatlantico” Mana Contemporary / Jersey City. Flash Art, Milan, Italy.December 7, 2020.
Interview: Palazzo Monti Artist Residency Founder, Edoardo Monti. Evan Malachosky. Cool Hunting, New York, NY. November 4, 2020.
Palazzo Monti presenta «Transatlantico». Architectural Digest Italia, Milan, Italy. October 19, 2020.
Three years of Palazzo Monti in exhibition with 'Transatlantico'. NSS Magazine, Milan, Italy. October 23, 2020.
Transatlantico, inaugurata a Jersey City la mostra sulla residenza italiana Palazzo Monti. Desirée Maida. Artribune, Rome, Italy. October 21, 2020.
Mana Contemporary / Palazzo Monti: "Transatlantico". Constanza Falco Raez. FLAUNT Magazine, Los Angeles, CA. October 19, 2020.
Palazzo Monti Retrospective. Interni Magazine, Milan, Italy. October, 2020.
Must-Sees This Week: February 1 to 7, 2018. Canadian Art Magazine. February 1, 2018.
Dreamlike Photos of the Ocean Inspired by Mythology. Alison Nastasi, Editor. Flavorpill FLAVORWIRE, New York, NY. April 9, 2017
Going Deeper With Laurel Johannesson. Aserica Magazine. Tokyo, L.A, London, Paris. 2017.
Moving Images: Exposure 2017 offers up photographers who have great focus - Laurel Johannesson. Bruce Weir. Calgary Herald / Swerve Magazine. January 27, 2017.
Visual Art Exhibitions and Events in February You Should Know About. Karin Olafson. Avenue Magazine. February 1, 2017.
Through The Liquid Lens: Questions for Laurel Johannesson. Lori Lofgren. SCAN Publication by CoLab. Issue 2. August, 2016. pg. 13-14.
H Laurel Johannesson στα Κεφαλονίa / Laurel Johannesson in Kefalonia. Interview in Κεφαλονίτικα Νέα / Kefalonitikia News. May 30, 2016.
Η έκθεση της Laurel Johannesson στο Ιόνιο Κέντρο Τεχνών και Πολιτισμού / The Exhibition of Laurel Johannesson at the Ionion Center for the Arts and Culture. Interview by Katerina Foka in KEFALONIzo... entertainment. May 29, 2016.
THIRST: ΕΚΘΕΣΗ ΤΗΣ LAUREL JOHANNESON ΣΤΟ ΙΟΝΙΟ ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΤΕΧΝΩΝ / Thirst: The Exhibition of Laurel Johannesson at the Ionion Center for Arts and Culture. Kefalonia Photo. May 26, 2016.
Global Print 2015. Douro, Portugal. Exhibition Catalogue. Curated by Nuno Canelas.
Printed in: Canada/Taiwan. Exhibition catalogue. Curated by Guy Langevin and Rock Shen. 2014.
Laurel Johannesson - A Life Aquatic. Brieanne Biblow. Catalyst magazine. Fall 2013. pg. 36-37.
"Thirst - Immersion #18" featured in Alberta Views magazine, September, 2013. Volume 16, Number 7. pg. 23.
Dreamy Photos Captured from an Underwater Perspective. Alison Nastasi, Editor. Flavorpill FLAVORWIRE, New York, NY. August 25, 2012.
photos taken from under the water’s surface by laurel johannesson. Lara Mikocki, Editor.
designboom, Milan, Italy. August 22, 2012.
The Beautiful Ways of Innovation. UToday. University of Calgary. August 11, 2011.
Published Papers + Journals
Journal of Computational Media Design. Issue 5. Flock and Awe Publishing. Editors: Laurel Johannesson + Marjan Eggermont. December, 2012. ISSN 1925-5691
Journal of Computational Media Design. Issue 4. Flock and Awe Publishing.Editors: Laurel Johannesson + Marjan Eggermont. June 2012. ISSN 1925-5691
Eternal Recurrence, Temporality, and Technology: How Contemporary Computer Art Can Learn from Early Modes of Representing Time. GASTHJ: Generative Art, Science and Technology Journal. Issue 1. Domus Argenia Publishing. Milan, Italy. May 2012.
“The Narkissos Project”. Proceedings of XIV Generative International Art Conference. Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy. Held at the Frescos Hall of Italian Universities Rectors Conference, Rome, Italy. December 2011.
Journal of Computational Media Design. Issue 3. Flock and Awe Publishing. Editors: Laurel Johannesson + Marjan Eggermont. December, 2011. ISSN 1925-5691
Catalogue essay. evolve: an installation by Tina Martel. Prairie Art Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. ISBN 978-0-9877278-0-0
Journal of Computational Media Design. Issue 2. Flock and Awe Publishing. Editors: Laurel Johannesson + Marjan Eggermont. June, 2011. ISSN 1925-5691 Journal of Computational Media Design. Issue 1. Flock and Awe Publishing. Editors: Laurel Johannesson + Marjan Eggermont. February, 2011. ISSN 1925-5691
“Acqua Vellutata Sospesa”. Proceedings of XIII Generative International Art Conference. Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy. December 2010. ISBN 978-88-96610-06-0
“Acqua Vellutata Sospesa: Interactive Video Painting”. ACM Multimedia ’10 Proceedings of the International conference on Multimedia. Florence, Italy. October 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60558-933-6
“Respiro”. Proceedings of XI Generative International Art Conference. Politecnico di Milano University, Milan, Italy. December 2008.
Selected Awards
Film & Video Individual Project Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts. 2024.
Visual Arts Individual Project Grant, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, 2016, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001.
Faculty Research & Professional Development Award, Alberta University of the Arts, 2020, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005.
Faculty Research Contingency Initiative Grant, Alberta College of Art + Design, 2013, 2011.
Marion Award for Innovation in Research, Alberta College of Art + Design, 2008.
Honourable Mention (for the integration of new technologies with print), La Biennale internationale d’estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivieres, 2005.
Multidisciplinary Creation Grant, The Canada Council for the Arts, 2000.
Polaroid Foundation Grant, Polaroid, Canada, 1997.