Someone's on My Shoulder

Indira Freitas Johnson, who attended art schools in India, Sweden, and Chicago, creates sculpture with a blend of Indian and American elements. Her parents' occupations--her father was an artist and her mother an activist--set the stage for her art, which explores social issues such as labor and education. For the past two decades, Johnson's work has primarily dealt with spiritual growth, both individual and collective. Johnson believes that in our quest for personal identity, we discover universal truths that tie us to those who came before us as well as those who will follow. Johnson's work includes many references to hands and feet, which she believes are universal symbols. While hands accomplish work, feet guide one toward spiritual growth and personal truth. With hand-like forms painted on the arms and body of the figure, Someone's on My Shoulder shows this attention to the extremities and reflects Johnson's desire to combine traditional and contemporary elements in her art.