Sylvie Johnson is a French-Senegalese artist whose work explores the spiritual and sculptural potential of textiles as a medium for reflection, architecture, and emotional resonance. Trained in both economics and art, Johnson brings a uniquely intellectural and philosophical approach to materials, time, and structure. Her personal studio practice in Paris is focused on handwoven textiles--original works of lnen, mohair, and wool that explore form, shadow, and silence through weaving. Deeply influenced by ancient civilizations, modernist architecture, and the natural world, Johnson considers herself a "militant of beauty", working in a quiet opposition to speed and superficiality.
Central to her work is the Japanese concept of 'ma'--the interval, the pause, the breath, that gives shape to perception. In her process, time is not a constraint but a medium: each piece emerges from months or even years of study, drawing, material research, and repeated practice.
Since 2017, Johnson has taken part in te artist residency program at Merida Studio, an American workshop known for its devotion to craft and natural materials. At Merida Studio, Johnson creates Atelier Series--a body of collectible rugs and wall hangings that expand on her individual practice. Within this context, Johnson works closely with Merida Studio's craftsmen to translate her artistic vision into architectural textiles that blur the boundaries between art, design, and material culture. The artist's proofs, created under her direct supervision, serve as foundational expressions of these ideas--original pieces where her touch, intention, and experimentation are most palpable.
Johnson's work is defined by a rigorous aesthetic language and a reverence for the invisible forces that shape perception: light, memory, silence, emotion. Across her solo studio and her work with Merida Studio, she creates works that engage not only the eye and the hand, but the sould. Her practice affirms that textile is not merely decorative or functional--it is philosophical, sculptural, and enduring.