Constance ARI

The key to AMJ Utilities success lies in some of the key ideas and projects from the past four years of operation, although none more so successful than the Shelter. In early 2002, the artist Anthony Johnson embarked on an ambitious sculptural piece. It was to be a large aluminium armature enclosed with clear polyurethane sheeting typically reminiscent of a bus stop shelter or a sportsground team bunker. It was a meticulously fabricated object deprived of function or suggested context, designed only to stand within the seamless environment of an art space.

The ideas behind the work were deeply involved, with a driving force inspired by, like many of that period, a rigorous critique of "post-minimalist" sculpture. The formal questioning and challenging of notions relating to function, context and place were central to Johnsons thinking at the time.

Despite having numerous titles and some as profoundly misleading as Hero, the sculpture has always appropriately been referred to as the Shelter.

By late 2003 the Shelter had been exhibited extensively across the international art circuit. Yet it was not until later that year the Shelter found its real forte in the rear fire-exit area of a neighbouring business adjacent to the artists' studio. At the time this rear area served as an ideal long-term storage solution locale for tenants needing a responsibility-free depository area. Over the following years the Shelter serviced the fire-exit smokers of the previously un-named neighbouring business. During this time the Shelter was involuntarily adopted by the un-named business and subject to numerous reappropriated adaptations in order to purposefully facilitate morning and afternoon tea discussion in the workplace, whilst enjoying a cigarette with protection from the elements.

AMJ Utilities furtively monitored and documented the usage of the Shelter over the years as it under went numerous changes by the staff, along with issuing ongoing 'courtesy letters' requesting feedback correspondence to assist AMJ Utilities to further develop the potential of the Shelter product.

We here at AMJ Utilities are only too proud to be hosted by fellow business partners, INFLIGHT art. That's because INFLIGHT understands only too well the difficulties faced by today's artist along with the challenges of being a small business dedicated to the positive promotion of both good and bad art. AMJ Utilities is a niche business focused and dedicated to the business of bad ideas, although not just any bad idea, but those of AMJ himself. We are strongly focused on capitalising on the artistic merit, authorship and identity of the artist, Anthony M. Johnson.

Anthony M. Johnson was born in the seventh ward of the Royal Women's Hospital of Sydney in 1974 before graduating just down the road from the College of Fine Arts UNSW in 1998, but also before undertaking Honours at a smallish art school in Hobart during 2000-01. He works in a diverse range of media but not much video. He has had not many solo exhibitions over the past years in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart with his most recent at a poorly run ARI in Melbourne; Not all cocktails make good punches in Sept, 06 . In 2005 he undertook an Australia Council New Work Grant and has since been on a three-week holiday to Japan with his girlfriend. He now sleeps and works in Hobart, Tasmania.