The desired effect of visiting an art exhibition: get lost, escape from reality … whatever the final destination, whatever the journey can lead to. Jess Johnson‘s latest show completely disturbs its visitors’ senses through a stunning immersion into a psychedelic, vivid other-world.
![Jess Johnson, Wurm Haus at National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaussmall.jpg)
A New Zealand native, the Melbourne-based artist uses Occulus Rift to engulf your sensory faculties; developing an unexpected experience inspired by distorted realities, spirituality, filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky — fused by her hypnotic futurist comic book aesthetic. You needn’t quit the galaxy to land in a sci-fi universe with Johnson’s obsessive, intriguing sense of cosmic graphism.
Dubbed Ixian Gate, this new animation is invaded by unknown shapes and figures that propels virtual art to its highest expression; stereoscopic sound included. Impressive, precise drawings that deal with a mix of pop culture, and the aforementioned otherworldly influences, surround the central VR pod. It’s at once abstract and totally clear; symbolic referencing and architectural allusions making strange sense of our very own reality.
Jess Johnson, Wurm Haus runs till 28 Feb at National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
![WH4IMAGETITLE](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus2.jpg)
![BLAH](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus3.jpg)
![BLAH](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus4.jpg)
Installation views of Jess Johnson: Wurm Haus at NGV International.
Photography, Tobias Titz
![Gamma World](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus5.jpg)
Jess Johnson
New Zealander 1979–
Gamma World 2013
pen and ink, coloured fibre-tipped pens, metallic paint and collage on paper
119.6 x 90.7 cm (framed)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The John McCaughey Memorial Prize Trust, 2013 2013.963.10
© Jess Johnson courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland
![We want to live](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus6.jpg)
Jess Johnson
New Zealander 1979–
We want to live 2013
pen and ink, coloured fibre-tipped pens, metallic paint and collage on paper
121.6 x 90.7 cm (framed)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The John McCaughey Memorial Prize Trust, 2013 2013.963.5
© Jess Johnson courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland
![Ixian Gate 2015](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus7.jpg)
![Ixian Gate 2015](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus8.jpg)
![Ixian Gate 2015](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus9.jpg)
Jess Johnson, New Zealander 1979–, Ixian Gate 2015 (stills)
colour virtual reality animation, sound. 5 min 35 sec
© Jess Johnson courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland
![Jess Johnson: Wurm Haus at NGV International](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus10.jpg)
Installation view of Jess Johnson: Wurm Haus at NGV International.
Photography, Tobias Titz
![Blood visions](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus11.jpg)
Jess Johnson
New Zealander 1979–
Blood visions 2013
coloured fibre-tipped pens and metallic paint on paper
121.0 x 89.8 cm (framed)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The John McCaughey Memorial Prize Trust, 2013 2013.963.3
© Jess Johnson courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland
![Whurlpull centrium](https://www.we-heart.com/upload-images/jessjohnsonwurmhaus12.jpg)
Jess Johnson
New Zealander 1979–
Whurlpull centrium 2013
pen and ink, coloured fibre-tipped pens, metallic paint and collage on paper
119.6 x 90.8 cm (framed)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
The John McCaughey Memorial Prize Trust, 2013 2013.963.2
© Jess Johnson courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; and Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland