Johnathan Onsuwan Johnson, and independent artist from Westerville, OH has received a grant award for his project of a critical photographic exploration of public land use and energy extraction in Appalachian, OH, from nineteenth century coal mining to the present day Fracking Boom. His project contends that looking and listening, and responding to the forest’s past and present can transform its future. After 80 years of Recovery Ohio’s Wayne National Forest is once again under threat. Hydraulic fracturing leases are greatly expanding gas and oil extraction there, and newly proposed coal mines may sabotage decades of water mitigation efforts.
Jonathan Johnson 
is a photographer and filmmaker whose work explores ideas about place, identity and nature. Autobiography plays a role in Johnson’s work as he often references his mixed-heritage background, travel, and backcountry exploration. Johnson collaborates with composers, writers, poets, designers and fellow artists in his artwork that takes the form of photographic prints, books, films, videos and teaching projects. Johnson’s teaching practice incorporates these elements with the intention of forming professionally-minded contemporary artists.
Johnson has participated in residencies in Costa Rica, Iceland, and Sweden. He also regularly works in Thailand. His creative work has been shown at film festivals and galleries in over 30 countries including: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid; Modern Art Museum, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, Ohio; Galleria Sment, Braga, Portugal; Africa Centre, Cape Town, South Africa; Sofia Arsenal Museum of Contemporary Art, Sofia, Bulgaria; Ann Arbor Film Festival; Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece; Union Docs, Brooklyn; Winnipeg Underground Film Festival and the EXiS Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea. Before working in academia Johnson was a competitive ski racer and held positions in the music industry and public affairs.
fracking site photo by KAREN KASMAUSKI AND GARTH LENZ
