Rather than being literal reproductions of buildings, Leroy Johnson’s house sculptures are alive with texture and symbolism, celebrating the resilience of communities while offering a poignant perspective from an African American artist who lived through the civil rights movement.  His work stands as a powerful testament to the beauty and strength of marginalized communities, making his sculptures both deeply personal and universally resonant. 

Johnson’s house sculptures are largely comprised of found materials sourced from across Philadelphia, including clay that he sometimes excavated from the ground himself.  Layered, collaged, and painted surfaces reflect the textures of the urban environment.  Adding to the complexity of Johnson’s work are references to Black life and history, urban lived realities, and the effects of poverty, racism, and gentrification, with each work holding space for multiple truths and interpretations. This sculpture carries references to several significant moments in Black history, including the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, the development of the Free African Society in the late 1700s, and Bishop Richard Allen, founder and first consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal church at the beginning of the 19th century.

Johnson was born in 1937 in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia, the city where he lived until his death in 2022. Eschewing art school and traditional arts training (beyond attending classes at Fleisher Art Memorial), Johnson’s position as an “outsider artist” was a conscious decision.  Though Johnson first began making art while still in high school, over the course of his adult life he simultaneously held a wide range of jobs, including as a social worker, rehab counselor, teacher to disabled youth, ultimately completing his MA in Human Services in 1988. Johnson’s multifaceted life as a social worker, teacher and community advocate deeply shaped his understanding of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. 

Recent Press:

Jillian Steinhauer for the New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/arts/nyc-galleries-january.html

Annikka Olsen for Artnet:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/leroy-johnson-margot-samel-2597989

Julien Langendorff for Society:
https://www.margotsamel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Julien-Langendorff-for-Society-Magazine-Leroy-Johnson.pdf

Kate Mothes for Colossal: 
https://www.margotsamel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kate-mothes.htm

Adelle Ki for Hypebeast:
https://www.margotsamel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Hypebeast.pdf
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