Johnson Esther

Esther Johnson (MA Royal Collage of Art, BA University of London) is an artist and filmmaker whose research practice explores documentary portraiture through moving image, audio and photography. Her work reveals resonant stories of the everyday that may otherwise remain hidden or ignored. Recurring themes include personal histories, those in the margins of contemporary society, heritage, tradition, folklore, and explorations of architectural vernaculars and the inhabited environment.

Her work has been exhibited internationally including BFI; ICA; International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam; Istanbul Biennial; Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival; London Film Festival; NASA; Tate Britain; Tate Modern; and on C4 and BBC television; and ABC Australia; BBC and RTÉ radio. Support for work includes Arts Council England; BBC; British Council; Channel 4; C3RI Art & Design Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University; London Artists’ Film and Video Award; Film London; National Endowment for the Arts, USA; National Lottery; Radio Arts; Screen Yorkshire; Sheffield Children’s Festival; Creative Skillset; Sound and Music; Sound Bank and Yorkshire Arts.

She has written for several arts publications, is an independent film/video curator, and is Reader in Media Arts at Sheffield Institute of Arts, Sheffield Hallam University. Johnson was awarded the 2012-15 Philip Leverhulme Prize in Performing and Visual Arts for young scholars.