Oil Paint

Yellow toned painting of three palm trees. The canvas is not framed. It is signed, titled, and dated by the artist on the back of the canvas.

Johnny Robertson’s art investigates the romantic American Mythic West and its application in cultural language. His imagery considers how regional iconography is embodied in the steadfast conventions of cinematic and literary texture. Robertson asserts that places like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and the landscapes of the American southwest are far more than physical locations; they provide a mythic cultural substrate from which a type of secular transcendence can prevail. Regardless of realities, the West, as an idea, remains a place of salvation. While New York City, Chicago, and the rust belt are commonly depicted in pop culture as places from which to escape, the West remains mythic, and worthy of a journey to—as so elegantly posited by Jack Kerouac in On The Road. Integral threads in Robertson’s work involve the West as a place to move through, to, or in, as well as the movement itself. Robertson’s imagery commonly features casino signs, palm trees, truck stops, and big skies. His paintings, video art, and sculpture underscore the idea of transition—movement through a particular landscape, or likewise, an attraction to a particular allegorical destination. Robertson is originally from Lubbock, Texas and maintains a studio in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He earned an MFA in Painting & Drawing from the University of North Texas in 1998. He has been on display at the Anya Tish Gallery and George Billis Gallery.

H 67.25 in. x W 68 in. x D 1.5 in.