Sébastien Johnson Presents:

Rêve d'une Nuit d'Été (Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Franco-American artist Sébastien Johnson brings his dual cultural heritage to the forefront in Rêve d'une Nuit d'Été (Midsummer Night’s Dream), a series that reimagines the grandeur of classical floral painting through a contemporary lens. The title, borrowed from Shakespeare’s timeless play, nods to the dreamlike qualities of this work while reflecting cultural ties to theatricality and romanticism.

Rooted in the beauty of Dutch still lifes and the ornate elegance of French Baroque and Rococo traditions, these works explore the interplay of history and modernity. Guided by a desire to transform the familiar, Johnson abstracts traditional floral compositions, fracturing them into kaleidoscopic, dreamlike forms. Symmetry serves as a central theme—both structural and symbolic—creating arrangements that evoke nature’s abundance while distorting the viewer’s perception of time and space.

The series delves into themes of transformation, growth, decay, and renewal. The fragmented floral motifs suggest a tension between order and chaos, tradition and reinvention. Drawing on the rich artistic legacy of his French upbringing, where Baroque and Rococo opulence symbolized cultural refinement, Johnson reinterprets these influences with a contemporary sensibility. These kaleidoscopic visions reflect not only the transformation of art but also the evolving ways we engage with beauty and the world around us.

Sébastien Johnson studied Painting, Graphic Design, and Art History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He refined his classical techniques at the Marchutz School of Fine Arts in Aix-en-Provence and has completed residencies at the New York Academy of Art, L’Atelier Cail in St. Étienne, and Motorola Solutions. Johnson has exhibited extensively, with recent his most solo exhibition at VSG Contemporary in Chicago. Alongside his artistic practice, Johnson is an accomplished UX designer, leading user-centered projects that bridge technology and design to serve diverse communities.