Craig Stewart johnson.
BORN 1989 IN GATESHEAD, UK.
interdisciplinary artist and researcher.
my artwork focuses on the detail and nuance of everyday textures and places. Minimal in composition, the seemingly simple works invite the viewer to develop an understanding and appreciation of these intricate characteristics through repetition and focus.
Developing from an interest in underground music, there is an obsession with the aesthetic aspects of DIY culture. Analog methods of production (photocopiers, film grain, cut and paste) are an ever-present inspiration, the imperfections flowing through the work informing a search for beauty and catharsis in decay.
I run the Invisible City Records label (established 2014) releasing works on limited edition cassettes and cd.
I publish audio work under the name Rovellasca and under my given name.
alongside this, I release work in the duos Death In Scarsdale and Liminal Haze.
sounds revolve around Cassette textures, minimal drones, entropic decay and dystopian synth.
invisiblecityrecords.bandcamp.com
I am currently undertaking my Ph.D. Northumbria university with a research project titled self-organisation, economies and ecologies in the no-audience underground.
Selected Projects
2023
3:am magazine – phased notes (publication)
THE SAMPLER MIXTAPE – RESONANCE.FM (BROADCAST)
volume 7 – hooker vision as liminal haze (cassette release)
the lubber fiend – newcastle as liminal haze & toi guy, with tongue depressor & sgerbwd (performance)
The auxiliary – middlesborough as liminal haze, with tongue depressor, toi guy, donald jenkins (performance)
2022
INVISIBLE CITY RECORDS PRESENTS – THE BOUND, WHITLEY BAY AS CULVER & ROVELLASCA, WITH MOLAR CRIMES (PERFORMANCE & CURATION)
razing/raising – modern concern as craig stewart johnson (cd release)
slow wave trail – the bound bookshop, whitley bay as craig stewart johnson (performance)
slow wave trail – the bound bookshop, whitley bay with eleanor cully and jorge boehringer (curation)
Exteriors IV – camp.fr (broadcast)
Our lives, ephemera – the show case, newcastle arts centre with Andrew wild, daniel j gregory, Graeme hopper, matt atkins and ross scott-buccleuch (curation & exhibition)
dead negatives – craig stewart johnson (publication)
Exteriors III – camp.fr radio (broadcast)
Exteriors II – Camp.fr radio (Broadcast)
2021
Ten Years of Photocopy Club – The Theatre Courtyard, London (Exhibition)
Boundaries – Sunderland as Rovellasca (Performance)
Exteriors I – Camp FR Radio (Broadcast)
Awagami International Mini Print – Tokushima, Japan (Exhibition)
Volume 5 – Park 70 as Liminal Haze (Cassette Release)
Rhizomes – Modern tapes as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
Days By The Sea – Steep Gloss as Craig Johnson & Fraser Burnett (Cassette Release)
Volume 4 –Important Drone Records as Liminal Haze (Cassette Release)
101 – Echolocations of the Mind, Base Materialism as Rovellasca (Compliation Release)
2020
The Fissure of Rolando – Park 70 as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
XI – Isolated Mess #3 as Liminal Haze (Audiovisual Piece)
Delirium, Or Sonata – Crow Versus Crow as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
Open Fragments (Online Exhibition)
Volume 3 – Matching Head as Liminal Haze (Cassette Release)
Response 6 – Responses, MRM Recordings as Rovellasca (CD Release)
Ritual Memory – Invisible City Records as Rovellasca & Culver (Cassette Release)
Pronunciation of Exorcisms – Matching Head as Rovellasca & Culver (Cassette Release)
Fifteen Stones – Stay Safe, Liquid Library as Rovellasca (Digital Release)
Concrete Tombs – Matching Head as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
Inside Outside – Self Isolating Compilation, Linear Obsessional as Rovellasca (Digital Release)
Empty Vitrines – Kirigirisu as Rovellasca (CD Release)
Turmeric Acid – Lahmachun Radio, Invisible City Records Guest Mix (Broadcast)
Banshee Labyrinth – Edinburgh as Liminal Haze (Performance)
Invisible City Records Presents – The Soundroom, Gateshead as Liminal Haze, with Calineczka, Vampyres, MP Wood (performance & Curation)
Dai Hall – Huddersfield as Liminal Haze (Performance)
Fuel Café – Manchester as Liminal Haze (Performance)
Fulford Arms – York as Rovellasca (Performance)
Chiaroscuro – Self-released as Rovellasca (CD Release)
Around 2019 in 12 Weeks – I Heart Noise (Guest Mix)
2019
Falling Walls – SVA, Stroud (Exhibition)
Affordable Art Fair – Thought Foundation, Gateshead (Exhibition)
The Central Bar – Gateshead as Liminal Haze (Performance)
Invisible City Presents – The Central Bar, Gateshead with Liminal Haze, Culver, Depletion, Fells (Curation)
Open Studios – The New Bridge Project, Gateshead as Rovellasca (Performance)
Bamburgh House Creatives – Bamburgh House, Newcastle (Exhibition)
Kirigirisu Digital Mixtape Exchange #19 (Guest Mix / Broadcast)
Resolutions – Craig Stewart Johnson (Publication)
The Soundroom – Gateshead as Rovellasca (Performance)
Awagami International Mini Print Exhibition – Tokushima, Japan (Exhibition)
Volume 2 – Invisible City Records as Liminal Haze (Cassette Release)
Initiation Well – Matching Head as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
Anterior Fragments – Aetheric Records as Rovellasca (CD Release)
Lay Bare Internal Structure – Invisible City Records as Rovellasca (CD Release)
2018
Interference – Invisible City Records as Rovellasca (Cassette Release)
Nurse With Wound Mail Art Action – The Sage, Gateshead, Tusk Festival (Exhibition)
The Shipley Gallery – Gateshead as Liminal Haze (Performance)
Volume 1 – Invisible City Records as Liminal Haze (Cassette Release)
Death in Scarsdale / Culver – Matching Head as Death In Scarsdale (Cassette Release)
The Shipley Gallery – Gateshead as Death In Scarsdale (Performance)
Great North Fringe – Bamburgh House, Newcastle (Exhibition)
2017
Ruminations – Invisible City Records as Death In Scarsdale (Cassette Release)
The Soundroom – Gateshead as Death In Scarsdale (Performance)
2016
Spools Out Radio #39 – Resonance FM (Guest Mix / Broadcast)
2014
Living Void – as Craig Johnson (Digital Release)
Unknown Surroundings – Basic.Fm (Broadcast)
High Rise – Invisible City Records as Caisson (Cassette / zine release)
NARC Magazine – Various articles (Print Publication)
2013
383 Dwelling, 13 Shops, 1 Supermarket – Basic.Fm (Broadcast)
The Holocaust Section – Basic.Fm (Broadcast)
Thurston Moore, Venom and Newcastle Brown Ale – Basic.Fm as Youth & Experience (Broadcast)
I am Sitting In A Photobooth – Basic.Fm as Youth & Experience (Broadcast)