Clare Johnson: Artist Talk and Interactive Post-It Activity
Exhibition Schedule: May 7 – June 18, 2026
Opening: Thursday, May 7, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Second Reception: Thursday, June 4, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 9, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Presented in partnership with Humanities Washington’s Speakers Bureau, join Johnson for a talk about the origins of the project and the stories behind the Post-its. Q&A to follow.
Interactive Post-it Activity: Saturday, May 9, 12:00 – 1:00 pm Immediately following the talk, Johnson will lead a drop-in activity for all ages. Create your own Post-it in the spirit of the exhibition. No experience necessary.
Clare Johnson has drawn or written on a Post-it note every night for nearly two decades, saving a small piece of each ending day. This exhibition allows viewers to peruse every sticky note made so far, spanning Johnson’s life across years and continents—the vast majority made public for the first time. Using Post-its acknowledges both the urgency and ordinariness of wanting to hold onto passing moments. They save memories but are also a reminder that time passes regardless, and we can’t hold on to everything.
Fusing elements of memoir, oral history, art and poetry, she approaches each note as if speaking only with herself, alone at the end of the day with no need to explain. This casual intimacy renders them paradoxically both familiar and mysterious, building fragmented, palimpsestic narratives from night to night. Over time, Johnson has also come to recognize how intertwined this nightly ritual is with her queer identity. “The erasure of my community from history is both commonplace and brutal,” she says. “An extravagant record of a life made of tiny disposables—tangibly saving private moments, but on something meant to be thrown away—acknowledges that loss while also fighting it.”
This exhibition was supported by a 4Culture Arts Project Grant.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3579701-0
