Jay Johnson (model)

Last updated

Jay Johnson (born December 30, 1948) is an American business executive and former model. In 1968, Johnson arrived in New York from California with his twin brother Jed Johnson and they were soon absorbed into artist Andy Warhol's social circle. As a Warhol superstar, Johnson had a successful modeling career and supported projects at The Factory. Johnson became president of Jed Johnson Associates Inc. following his brother's death in 1996, and he created Jed Johnson Home in 2006.

Life and career

Jay Johnson was born in Alexandria, Minnesota on December 30, 1948. He was the third of six children, born 15 minutes before his fraternal twin brother Jed Johnson. [1] His family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona when he was 10 years old before settling in Fair Oaks, California. [2] His father was a physician and an amateur pilot with his own airport. [2] Johnson and future Playboy model Barbi Benton were Junior high school sweethearts. [2] He graduated from Bella Vista High School in 1967 and briefly attended college. [1] [3]

Johnson and his brother Jed hitchhiked with an AWOL soldier from Sacramento, California to New York City in early 1968. [4] [5] [6] They found an apartment in the East Village, Manhattan through a heroin addict, got robbed, and lost all their money. [6] When they went to collect money their mother had sent them through Western Union, they were offered a job as messengers. [7] Soon after, Jed delivered a telegram to artist Andy Warhol's Factory and was offered a job on the spot as a custodian by director Paul Morrissey. [5] Morrissey had promised them parts in the film Lonesome Cowboys (1968), but those plans fell through. [5] Warhol helped the brothers move into an apartment in a safer neighborhood and they were quickly assimilated into his entourage. [8] Jed would become Warhol's live-in boyfriend for 12 years, edited films produced by Warhol and Morrissey, and eventually directed the film Bad (1977). [9]

Johnson dated actress Jane Forth, whom he introduced to Warhol and she became a Warhol superstar. [10] Johnson recalled that when he and Jed first arrived in New York City they "had not yet recognized that they were gay." [5] The Factory photographer Billy Name helped them come to terms with their sexuality. [2] While reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots to Surface magazine in 2019, Johnson stated that Stonewall was the first gay bar that he went to, and while working at a nightclub called Arthur's managed by entrepreneur Mickey Deans, Deans tried to rape him. [4] Deans married actress Judy Garland a few months later and Johnson believes there is a correlation between the riots and Garland's death: "He was an awful person and provided Judy with barbiturates and alcohol until she died, which was only a few days before the Stonewall riots. So when the police raided the Stonewall, people were grieving Judy's death—and the raid was the straw that broke the camel’s back … By the time of the riots, I was an out homosexual and enjoying the fruits of the city," Johnson said. [4]

Johnson pursued professional modeling while assisting with projects at the Factory. Johnson posed for renowned photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, Jack Mitchell, and Francesco Scavullo. [11] [12] [13] He also modeled jewelry made by Robert Mapplethorpe in 1970. [14] [15]

While modeling Paris, Johnson lived in a hotel with Corey Grant Tippin, Patti D'Arbanville, and Donna Jordan. [16] Johnson was also part of fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez's circle. [17] [18] In the early 1970s, he became the muse and assistant of fashion designer Giorgio di Sant'Angelo. [19]

In 1971, Johnson appeared in the Off-off-Broadway musical Vain Victory: The Vicissitudes of the Damned, written by fellow Warhol superstar Jackie Curtis, at the La Mama Experimental Theatre Club and the WPA in New York. [20] [21]

Johnson was feistier than his soft-spoken twin and considered the "bad boy" of the duo. [19] He struggled with drinking and drug addiction. [6] By 1977, his brother Jed had begun a decorating business. After Johnson went to rehab he worked as a bookkeeper for his brother's company. [6]

In 1996, Johnson's brother Jed was killed as a passenger aboard TWA Flight 800 when the plane exploded off the coast of Long Island, New York. [22] Johnson took over Jed's decorating business Jed Johnson & Associates. In 1997, Johnson nominated Jed's protégé Arthur Dunnam as design director. [23] The company's name was changed to Jed Johnson Associates and later to Arthur Dunnam for Jed Johnson Studio. [24]

In 2006, Johnson created Jed Johnson Home and continues to produce fabrics and furniture for the collection. [23] His longtime partner Tom Cashin is the co-director. [25] They reside in New York City and Brookhaven Hamlet, New York. [26]

In 2022, Johnson appeared in the Netflix docuseries The Andy Warhol Diaries . [27] [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Warhol</span> American artist, film director, and producer (1928–1987)

Andy Warhol was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol is considered one of the most important American artists of the second half of the 20th century. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, advertising, and celebrity culture that flourished by the 1960s, and span a variety of media, including painting, silkscreening, photography, film, and sculpture. Some of his best-known works include the silkscreen paintings Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) and Marilyn Diptych (1962), the experimental films Empire (1964) and Chelsea Girls (1966), and the multimedia events known as the Exploding Plastic Inevitable (1966–67).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Morrissey</span> American film director (born 1938)

Paul Morrissey is an American film director, known for his early association with Andy Warhol. His most famous films include Flesh, Trash (1970), Heat, Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) and Blood for Dracula (1974), all starring Joe Dallesandro, and the 1980's New York trilogy Forty Deuce (1982), Mixed Blood and Spike of Bensonhurst (1988).

Warhol superstars were a clique of New York City personalities promoted by the pop artist Andy Warhol during the 1960s and early 1970s. These personalities appeared in Warhol's artworks and accompanied him in his social life, epitomizing his dictum, "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes". Warhol would simply film them, and declare them "superstars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Factory</span> Andy Warhols New York City studio

The Factory was Andy Warhol's studio in New York City, which had four locations between 1963 and 1987. The Factory became famed for its parties in the 1960s. It was the hip hangout spot for artists, musicians, celebrities and Warhol's superstars. The original Factory was often referred to as the Silver Factory. In the studio, Warhol's workers would make silkscreens and lithographs under his direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Dallesandro</span> American actor

Joseph Angelo D'Allesandro III is an American actor and Warhol superstar. He was a sex symbol of gay subculture in the 1960s and 1970s, and of several American underground films before going mainstream.

<i>Trash</i> (1970 film) 1970 film by Paul Morrissey

Trash is a 1970 American drama film directed and written by Paul Morrissey and starring Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn and Jane Forth. Dallesandro had previously starred in several other Andy Warhol/Paul Morrissey films such as The Loves of Ondine, Lonesome Cowboys, San Diego Surf, and Flesh.

<i>Flesh</i> (1968 film) 1968 film by Paul Morrissey

Flesh is a 1968 American film directed by Paul Morrissey and starring Joe Dallesandro as a hustler working on the streets of New York City. It highlights various Warhol superstars, in addition to being the film debuts of both Jackie Curtis and Candy Darling. Also appearing are Geraldine Smith as Joe's wife and Patti D'Arbanville as her lover.

<i>Women in Revolt</i> 1971 American film

Women in Revolt is a 1971 American satirical film produced by Andy Warhol and directed by Paul Morrissey. It was initially released as Andy Warhol's Women. The film stars Jackie Curtis, Candy Darling, and Holly Woodlawn, three trans women and superstars of Warhol's Factory scene. It also features soundtrack music by John Cale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Woodlawn</span> Puerto Rican actress (1946–2015)

Holly Woodlawn was a transgender American actress and Warhol superstar who appeared in the films Trash (1970) and Women in Revolt (1971). She is also known as the Holly in Lou Reed's hit glam rock song "Walk on the Wild Side".

<i>Andy Warhols Bad</i> 1977 film by Jed Johnson

Bad, also known as Andy Warhol's Bad, is a 1977 comedy film directed by Jed Johnson and starring Carroll Baker, Perry King, and Susan Tyrrell. It was written by Pat Hackett and George Abagnalo, and was the last film produced by Andy Warhol before his death in 1987.

<i>Heat</i> (1972 film) 1972 film by Paul Morrissey, produced by Andy Warhol

Heat is a 1972 American comedy drama film written and directed by Paul Morrissey, produced by Andy Warhol, and starring Joe Dallesandro, Sylvia Miles and Andrea Feldman. The film was conceived by Warhol as a parody of the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. It is the final installment of the "Paul Morrissey Trilogy" produced by Warhol, following Flesh (1968) and Trash (1970).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decker Building</span> Commercial building in Manhattan, New York

The Decker Building is a commercial building located at 33 Union Square West in Manhattan, New York City. The structure was completed in 1892 for the Decker Brothers piano company, and designed by John H. Edelmann. From 1968 to 1973, it served as the location of the artist Andy Warhol's studio, The Factory. The Decker Building was designated a New York City landmark in 1988, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jed Johnson (designer)</span> American designer and film director

Jed Johnson was an American interior designer and film director. TheNew York Times hailed Johnson as "one of the most celebrated interior designers of our time."

<i>LAmour</i> (film) 1972 film

L'Amour, also known as Andy Warhol's L'Amour, is a 1972 underground film written by Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol and directed by Morrissey and Warhol. The film stars Donna Jordan, Michael Sklar, Jane Forth, and Max Delys.

Geraldine Smith is an American actress. She is best known for having been a Warhol superstar, starring in the film Flesh (1968).

Jane Forth is an American actress and model She is best known for having been one of the Warhol superstars, starring in the films Trash (1970) and L'Amour (1972). She was also one of “Antonio’s Girls”, models and muses of fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez.

Andy Warhol's Pork is the first and only play by Andy Warhol. It was directed by Anthony Ingrassia, produced by Ira Gale, and stage-managed by Leee Black Childers. Pork opened on May 5, 1971, at La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York City for a two-week run. It was brought to the Roundhouse in London for a six-week run in August 1971.

Frederick W. Hughes was an American businessman. He was artist Andy Warhol's business manager for 20 years and the executor of his estate following his death in 1987. Hughes founded the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and served as chairman of the foundation until 1990 when he was forced out by the man he appointed President of the enterprise, Archibald L. Gillies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Gould</span> Film executive

Jon Jewell Gould was an American film executive for Paramount Pictures. He had a secret romance with artist Andy Warhol in the 1980s. Following Gould's death from AIDS, his collection of Warhol's works was shown at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Vermont.

Pat Hackett is an American author, screenwriter, and journalist. Hackett was a close friend and collaborator of pop artist Andy Warhol. They co-authored the books POPism: The Warhol Sixties (1980) and Andy Warhol's Party Book (1988). She also edited TheAndy Warhol Diaries (1989). Hackett was an editor for Interview magazine and she co-wrote the screenplay for the film Bad (1977).

References

  1. 1 2 Bojorquez, Jennifer (1996-12-17). "Treasured Moments". The Sacramento Bee. pp. E1, E5. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Callahan, Temo (2005). Jed Johnson: Opulent Restraint, Interiors. New York: Rizzoli. ISBN   978-0-8478-2714-5.
  3. ↑ Brown, Mareva (July 19, 1996). "Mom's Tragic Instinct: Son was Aboard Plane". The Sacramento Bee: A1, A14.
  4. 1 2 3 Samaha, Barry (2019-06-27). "Stonewall Riots: Artists Reflect on its Impact". SURFACE. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gopnik, Blake (2020). Warhol. Internet Archive. New York: Ecco. pp. 646–647. ISBN   978-0-06-229839-3.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Hamilton, William L. (November 10, 2005). "The Surviving Twin, Rearranging the Furniture". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ Nevins, Jake (2023-05-10). "Jay Johnson Remembers the Quiet Luxury and Kindness of His Brother Jed". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  8. ↑ Nevins, Jake (2023-05-10). "Jay Johnson Remembers the Quiet Luxury and Kindness of His Brother Jed". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  9. ↑ Macias, Ernesto (2022-03-21). "Meet Jed Johnson, the Man Who Stole Andy Warhol's Heart". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  10. ↑ "Jane Forth, Teenage Model & Warhol Superstar". 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  11. ↑ Gefter, Philip (October 16, 2020). "Richard Avedon's Wall-Size Ambitions". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ "Francesco Scavullo (American, 1921-2004). Jay and Jed Johnson, | Lot #38121". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  13. ↑ "Jay and Jed Johnson - 1970 - Jack Mitchell Archives". jackmitchell.com. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  14. ↑ Davidson, Annabel (August 16, 2021). "How the bad boy of Seventies photography nurtured a talent for jewellery". The Telegraph.
  15. ↑ Terpak, Frances; Brunnick, Michelle (2016-03-15). Robert Mapplethorpe: The Archive. Getty Publications. p. 101. ISBN   978-1-60606-470-2.
  16. ↑ Kaiser, Alfons (2022-02-08). Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Fashion. Abrams. ISBN   978-1-64700-430-9.
  17. ↑ Trebay, Guy (2012-08-29). "Drawn to His Shining Light". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  18. ↑ Padilha, Roger (2012). Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex & Disco. Internet Archive. New York: Rizzoli. p. 126. ISBN   978-0-8478-3792-2.
  19. 1 2 Colacello, Bob (1990). Holy terror : Andy Warhol close up. New York, NY : HarperCollins. pp. 74, 147–148. ISBN   978-0-06-016419-5.
  20. ↑ "Vain Victory, The Vicissitudes Of The Damned (1971)". La Mama. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  21. ↑ Lewis, Emory (1971-09-03). "Vulgarity is Victorious". The Record. pp. B-25. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  22. ↑ Goldberger, Paul (July 25, 1996). "Jed Johnson: Grace interrupted". New York Times . Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  23. 1 2 Kellogg, Craig (2017-07-27). "The Designer Who Started As a Janitor for Andy Warhol". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  24. ↑ Kellogg, Craig (July 27, 2017). "Arthur Dunnam Carries Jed Johnson Associates into a New Era".
  25. ↑ "Jay Johnson and Tom Cashin". Jed Johnson Home. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  26. ↑ Slesin, Suzanne (2016-12-07). "Andy Warhol Paintings Transform this Eclectic Long Island Home". Galerie. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  27. ↑ Laneri, Raquel; Gostin, Nicki (March 9, 2022). "The Andy Warhol Diaries' reveals artist's secret love life after being shot". New York Post.
  28. ↑ "'The Andy Warhol Diaries' explores how the iconic artist was shaped by his great loves". NBC News. 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.