Biography
Johnny Thornton is an artist that lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He wrote this about himself in the 3rd person.
Born in Connecticut, Thornton spent his childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa before moving to Tucson, Arizona. After teaching himself to paint he went on to study Fine Arts at the University of Arizona. Thornton relocated to New York City where he received his Master of Fine Arts from Parsons the New School for Design in 2012.
Thornton has had work exhibited widely, and he has had several recent solo shows in New York City. His work is part of several collections. Currently, Thornton works out of his Gowanus studio and is the Owner/Head Curator of Established Gallery in Brooklyn. Thornton is also the Executive Director of Arts Gowanus, a non-profit organization working to support, promote, and advocate for local artists and a sustainable arts community in Brooklyn.
Education
MFA, 2012,
Parsons, the New School for Design, New York, NY, Visual Art
BFA, 2009, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
BFA, 2009, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Curatorial Projects
Head Curator at Established Gallery (2019-Present)
Executive Director/Head Curator of Arts Gowanus (2019-Present)
Executive Director/Head Curator of Arts Gowanus (2019-Present)
Solo / Two Person Exhibitions
2024- In the Interim, Established Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2022- Into the Void (installation), St Marks Lobby, Brooklyn, NY
2020- Sophisticated Mess, Established Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2019- A Passing Resemblance, Established Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Real/UnReal (2 person show with LJ Lindhurst), King Killer, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Transmute (2 person show with Michael Watson), Gowanus Dredgers, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Corporeality, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- sleepers, BAU Gallery, Beacon, NY
2016- cells, Chashama Gallery on 37th St, New York, NY
2016- Self-Portraits of Other People, Galerie Wohnung, Brooklyn, NY
2013- Vanishing Anatomies (2 person show with AM DeBrincat), Chashama, New York, NY
2010- The Machines are Winning, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- nameless, Lionel Rombach Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2022- Into the Void (installation), St Marks Lobby, Brooklyn, NY
2020- Sophisticated Mess, Established Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2019- A Passing Resemblance, Established Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Real/UnReal (2 person show with LJ Lindhurst), King Killer, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Transmute (2 person show with Michael Watson), Gowanus Dredgers, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Corporeality, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- sleepers, BAU Gallery, Beacon, NY
2016- cells, Chashama Gallery on 37th St, New York, NY
2016- Self-Portraits of Other People, Galerie Wohnung, Brooklyn, NY
2013- Vanishing Anatomies (2 person show with AM DeBrincat), Chashama, New York, NY
2010- The Machines are Winning, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- nameless, Lionel Rombach Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024- Water, The Barn on Berme, Kerhonkson, NY
2022- Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn NY
2022- Brooklyn Utopias Public Art Exhibition by Arts Gowanus, Brooklyn NY
2021- Gowanus Night Heron, Public Art Exhibition by Gowanus Night Heron, Brooklyn NY
2021- We’re Still Here…, Public Art Exhibition by Arts Gowanus, Brooklyn NY
2020- Fresh Paint, Art of Our Century Gallery, New York, NY
2019- RE-BEGINNING, Thinkspace, Los Angeles, California
2019- Portraits Gather Nearby, Gagné Contemporary
2019- ArtWorks- A Benefit for Arts Gowanus, Shapeshifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY
2019- Sickness+Health, ABC No Rio in Exile/Bullet Space, New York, NY
2019- Is It My Body, Gagné Contemporary
2018- Kairos50 Gala, World Trade Center Observation Deck, New York, NY
2018- Between You and Oblivion, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2018- From the Canal to the Crevices, Open Source Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Between You and Oblivion, Spaceworks, Brooklyn, NY
2018- RE:RE:patterns, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- Et Tu, Art Brute?, Andrew Edin Gallery, New York, NY
2017- Identity in Flux, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- With the Neighbors, Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- RE:patterns, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- We Deliver, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- Art for Aleppo, Catalyst Gallery, Beacon, NY
2017- Per Aspera ad Astra Pop Up Show. New York, NY
2017- RECOLLECTION, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, New York, NY
2017- Drums on Paper III, Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2016- Dysfunction of Sameness, Gallery 116th, Fayetteville, NC
2016- Drums On Paper II, Rabbit Hole Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2012- (RE)Purpose, The Kitchen, New York, NY,
2011- Look Alike, Parsons Fine Arts, New York, NY
2011- hūmāna, 25 E Gallery, New York, NY
2010- One More Before I Go, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Rebirth, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Collectivity, Solar Culture Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Photographs and Free Candy, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- 16, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Diptychs/ Triptychs, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Untitled, Lulubell Toys and Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Room 10, La Siesta Hotel, Tucson, AZ
2009- Dimensional Shift, Solar Culture Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2022- Arts Gowanus ArtWalk on Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn NY
2022- Brooklyn Utopias Public Art Exhibition by Arts Gowanus, Brooklyn NY
2021- Gowanus Night Heron, Public Art Exhibition by Gowanus Night Heron, Brooklyn NY
2021- We’re Still Here…, Public Art Exhibition by Arts Gowanus, Brooklyn NY
2020- Fresh Paint, Art of Our Century Gallery, New York, NY
2019- RE-BEGINNING, Thinkspace, Los Angeles, California
2019- Portraits Gather Nearby, Gagné Contemporary
2019- ArtWorks- A Benefit for Arts Gowanus, Shapeshifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY
2019- Sickness+Health, ABC No Rio in Exile/Bullet Space, New York, NY
2019- Is It My Body, Gagné Contemporary
2018- Kairos50 Gala, World Trade Center Observation Deck, New York, NY
2018- Between You and Oblivion, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2018- From the Canal to the Crevices, Open Source Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018- Between You and Oblivion, Spaceworks, Brooklyn, NY
2018- RE:RE:patterns, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- Et Tu, Art Brute?, Andrew Edin Gallery, New York, NY
2017- Identity in Flux, Spaceworks Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- With the Neighbors, Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- RE:patterns, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- We Deliver, La Bodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2017- Art for Aleppo, Catalyst Gallery, Beacon, NY
2017- Per Aspera ad Astra Pop Up Show. New York, NY
2017- RECOLLECTION, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, New York, NY
2017- Drums on Paper III, Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2016- Dysfunction of Sameness, Gallery 116th, Fayetteville, NC
2016- Drums On Paper II, Rabbit Hole Studios, Brooklyn, NY
2012- (RE)Purpose, The Kitchen, New York, NY,
2011- Look Alike, Parsons Fine Arts, New York, NY
2011- hūmāna, 25 E Gallery, New York, NY
2010- One More Before I Go, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Rebirth, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Collectivity, Solar Culture Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2010- Photographs and Free Candy, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- 16, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Diptychs/ Triptychs, TAC Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Untitled, Lulubell Toys and Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2009- Room 10, La Siesta Hotel, Tucson, AZ
2009- Dimensional Shift, Solar Culture Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Press/Publication
Brooklyn Magazine FOR ARTS GOWANUS, THE SHOW MUST GO ON , 2023
Gothanist Destroyed Gowanus mural has been rebuilt, says local arts organization , 2023
Artnet The Affordable Art Fair Names Brooklyn’s Established Gallery as Its First Fellowship Recipient , 2022
Brooklyn Magazine BK50 BROOKLYN'S 50 MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE 2022 - Johnny Thornton , 2022
NYLON, "9 Brooklyn Art Spaces to Watch This Summer" by Amy Wilkinson, 2022
Brooklyn Magazine ARTS GOWANUS CHIEF JOHNNY THORNTON: ‘I’M ALWAYS FIGHTING FOR MORE’ , 2022
CBS New York, 2021
BKLYNER, 2021
ArtHag, 2020
Bklyner, 2019
Wall St International, 2019
Bklyner, 2019
Hyperallergic, 2019
Bklyner, 2019
Park Slope Reader, 2019
Hyperallergic, 2018
SciArt Magazine, 2018
Widewalls, 2017
Artospective, 2017
The Culture Trip, 2016
Artfile Magazine, 2014