Full Circle: Jane’a Johnson

Full Circle is back! In this fourth edition, we talk to Jane’a Johnson, the new artistic director of FOAM. to discuss her love for archiving, the importance of context in the arts sector and her home away from home, the South of America.

Jane’a has been freshly appointed as Artistic Director of Foam since October 1, but has already left her mark on the current and future exhibitions. Not surprising, because she has acquired all the necessary skills in her academic career to prepare for this step. She has a PhD from Brown University in Modern Culture & Media and, as an assistant professor, she has mentored up-and-coming talent in the arts in finding their visual language at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Relocating for work is not a big deal for her: she went from Sacramento, California via the South, Georgia, to the North, Rhode Island, before crossing the ocean and trading America for the Netherlands. In this fourth edition of Full Circle we will discuss what drew her to Amsterdam. Next to that, we go in depth into her artistic vision, her greatest source of greatest source of inspiration. And how do you maintain a balance between your own vision and that of FOAM?

Full Circle

Full Circle is an in-depth talk show without barriers and an ask-me-anything mentality. You can ask away about the ins and outs of the work and life of entrepreneurial leaders from the worlds of tech, business, science and culture. In this show, we dig deeper into the person behind their career moves and talk openly about the wins and L’s that got them where they are.

Dymphie Braun (host)

Dymphie Braun (she/her) is an experienced programme maker, producer, moderator, and strategist driven by the mission to use creativity as a tool for new ideas and solutions to contemporary issues. She organises programmes, events, and talk shows about art, design, technology, entrepreneurship, and (design)justice. Her latest work, a research- and activity programme for Pakhuis de Zwijger, focused on creating cities of belonging: how can we design products, spaces, and systems in which everyone can feel represented and at home? Next to that, she had been hosting Fuckup Nights Amsterdam for over 6 years, creating a stage where makers, start-ups, small businesses, and leading corporations share their failures and lessons learned.

Fotocredit: Demi Koen

Jane’a Johnson

Jane’a Johnson (b. 1988, US) is Artistic Director of Foam Fotografiemuseum in Amsterdam. Her work and writings have focused on archives, museums, photography, race, and the visual culture of the African Diaspora. She is formerly Assistant Professor of Theory of Art + Design and History, Philosophy + Social Sciences at Rhode Island School of Design. Johnson received her PhD in Modern Culture and Media from Brown University, where she directed the Photographic Archives Research Group. In summer 2022, her installation project, Past Made Present: Dutch Shadows in the Black Atlantic, opens at Rhode Island School of Design.