Johan Thurfjell: Liminal
Johan Thurfjell’s Liminal (2023) consists of a constructed doorway partially concealed by a blue curtain. Beneath the curtain, a pair of shoes protrudes, creating the impression that someone is standing just beyond the threshold. Printed on the fabric is a dreamlike image of smoke drifting across a moonlit sky.
Thurfjell created Liminal as a reflection on his father’s experience of dementia. The work explores the idea of being simultaneously present and absent, existing between awareness and another realm of experience.
The curtain is inspired by noren, traditional Japanese fabric dividers commonly used in shops and restaurants. In Japanese culture, noren often mark transitions between spaces. In Liminal, the curtain represents a boundary between the conscious world and a place where memory and awareness begin to fade. The doorway and shoes reinforce the idea of a threshold between different states of being.
The moonlight and drifting smoke evoke themes of dreams, uncertainty, and transformation. The particular shade of blue also recalls motifs found in Thurfjell’s broader engagement with Japanese folklore. In some traditions, the blue hour at dusk is associated with moments when the visible world and the spirit world overlap.
A recurring aspect of Thurfjell’s artistic practice is the combination of sculpture, technology, and theatrical illusion. In Liminal, a concealed mechanism causes the shoes to move subtly and unpredictably. At times, a foot shifts slightly; at others, it may suddenly tap the ground.
These movements are intended to surprise viewers and create uncertainty about what has been seen. As the figure behind the curtain appears to exist between reality and imagination, the viewer is encouraged to reflect on perception, memory, and the reliability of observation.
Text by SSE student and art tour guide Eric Dahlman.
Johan Thurfjell was born in Solna, Sweden, in 1970 and lives and works in Tullgarn. He studied at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm and at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California. He is represented by Galleri Nordenhake.
Donation in memory of Ragnar Lindgren.