Mariela Gavino - Samuel Burgess Johnson - Post 7

Samuel Burgess Johnson

As we've been focusing on light and color in class, I was reminded of Samuel Burgess Johnson's neon light series as commissioned by the 1975 for their second studio album. I was compelled by Johnson's utilization of a bright, pink neon light against industrial spaces. The pink glow seems to wash into other areas of the scenes and it moves my eye around to explore the space. Johnson's consideration in composing the neon light in the shots communicates that everything around it should be studied as well. The lights are not close up or demanding the viewers attention with wide space all around it. His compositions allow movement in and out of the glow to other spaces such as the buildings or descending walls of the tunnel. The high contrast and diffused light also make it seem as if these scenes are in a dreamscape.

I believe Johnson captured these neon signs in these specific landscapes to create an almost surreal atmosphere. The signs aren't advertising anything like a regular neon sign is popularly used for. Instead Johnson is creating a mysteriously inviting narrative where the signs look out of place, but some how the content of the signs can be connected to the location. There is also a sense of isolation in the way he composes his shots. The signs almost become characters, alone and different from the space. Although this series was commissioned to pair with an album, the photos have impact even as a standalone piece.

I am most compelled by his lighting techniques. The use of this glowing, beautiful light in these mundane places makes me want to consider location more and how it also can become a character in photographs. There is a sense of unity and harmony that really allows me to sit with them for a while. You can feel the misty air that Johnson captures in the diffused lights. Theres just something really strange about seeing a perfectly engineered neon light in these places. It also makes me consider the connection that the words have to the landscape as well as the album they were made for. There's a lot of layers and ways you could sit with these photos and Johnson successfully leaves it open-ended.