Alex Johnmeyer Presents ‘Unboxed’ At Angad Arts Hotel
The feel of solving a Rubix’s Cube, the repetitive sounds of a Nintendo game, the sweet bite of a Little Debbie – all visceral memories that take many of us back to childhood nostalgia and the growing pains that accompanied youth. These are the images and feelings that Alex Johnmeyer invokes in his upcoming solo exhibition, “Unboxed,” at the Angad Arts Hotel.
The thirteen paintings displayed in this exhibit draw from Johnmeyer’s youth. Every piece began as a photograph of real toys and objects saved from his childhood in the 1980s and 90s. Not only capturing the pop culture kitsch, the pieces in “Unboxed” reflect on Johnmeyer’s journey as a transgender man and the challenges of growing up feeling different in the Midwest. The work weaves the playfulness of familiar toys like Mr. Potato Head and G.I. Joe with the earnest work of unearthing one’s identity.
“Before I had the words to describe what I was feeling as a trans person, I felt reflected in my toys. I wanted to be Han Solo, not Princess Leia. I wanted to be Ken, not Barbie. The culture and toys we grow up with as children are a part of how we see ourselves,” Johnmeyer states. The exhibit also highlights how people are all connected by the greater human experience of pop culture, and reflects on everyone’s childhood journey, no matter the destination.
Johnmeyer, a lifelong Missouri resident, is a St. Louis Realist painter working with oil, watercolor and acrylic paints while also incorporating textural elements, such as modeling paste and clay, depending on the mood of the work. This is Johnmeyer’s third solo exhibition in St. Louis, and his collections have been lauded, earning him awards such as “Award of Excellence in Artistry” from St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds, Michael Butler, and the title of “Best Fine Artist” in St. Louis Magazine’s 2021 Reader’s Choice “A List.” He has been featured in galleries such as Duane Reed Gallery, 31art Gallery, and Houska Gallery. Additionally, six of his original watercolor paintings are permanently installed at the newly constructed St. Louis University Hospital.
Johnmeyer’s roots also lie deep in the St. Louis non-profit world as co-founder of the Metro Trans Umbrella Group (MTUG), an organization supporting transgender advocacy. Johnmeyer served as Events Director and curator of MTUG’s annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition, “Transcending the Spectrum,” from 2013 to 2021. He actively supports numerous non-profits and fundraisers, including Arts as Healing, Art of PAWS for Vivent Health, Wall Ball for Artscope, and PROMO. The passion Johnmeyer feels toward these missions and his community goes hand in hand with what he conveys with his art.
“The current political climate in Missouri makes it more critical than ever that artists create and people support art that fosters understanding, visibility, and connection,” elaborated Johnmeyer. “In a time when personal freedoms are under scrutiny… I invite viewers to engage with their own nostalgia while considering themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the freedom of living openly and authentically. To me, art is more than just decoration… it is resistance, it is activism, and a declaration of existence.”
The opening reception of “Unboxed” will be at the Agnad Arts Hotel First Floor Gallery (3550 Samuel Shepard Dr., St. Louis, MO 63103) this Friday, March 7th. This free, all ages event invites the public to explore his work and meet Johnmeyer. The exhibition will remain through May 31st.
Artwork will be available for purchase during the reception and through the end date of the exhibition. For more information on Alex Johnmeyer and his collection of works, please visit alexjohnmeyer.com.
