» Denise Johnson
Lecturer, Instructional Faculty

Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Department of Art

Biography: Denise Johnson is an Instructional Assistant Professor in Art History and has taught at Chapman University since 2014. She earned a B.A. in Art and Psychology from UC Riverside and an MFA from Cal Arts with a focus in contemporary art theory and women's contributions to the western tradition. She has taught all periods of western art history from the prehistoric era to the present, including: Gender, Art, and Western Culture; the history of photography; and the art of the ancient Americas along with studio courses in black-and-white photography and drawing. Denise has curated a number of contemporary art exhibitions examining feminism, motherhood, and California's contested history and has written for Make/Shift magazine. She is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion People of Color Advisory Committee as well as Faculty Co-Chair of the Women's Advisory Group. Denise is part of Chapman University's Getty Pacific Standard Time LA/LA initiative curatorial team and will be co-curating an exhibition of Orange, CA muralist, Emigdio Vasquez' easel paintings paired through the lens of contemporary works for Chapman's Guggenheim Gallery with Coordinator and faculty colleague, Marcus Herse that will open Fall 2017. When not in the classroom or museum, Denise enjoys reading, yoga, silkscreening, fighting for social justice and supporting progressive efforts combating climate change and inequality.

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