Eli Marie Johnsen
Eli-Marie Johnsen (21 August 1926 – 28 June 2015) was a Norwegian textile artist and educator renowned for her innovative contributions to textile art and her role in art education.
Education and Early Career
Born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Johnsen pursued evening classes in Oslo from 1942 to 1946 before studying at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry and Konstfack in Stockholm from 1947 to 1951. At Konstfack, she was mentored by prominent textile artists Barbro Nilsson and Edna Martin.
From 1953 to 1974, Johnsen served as a lecturer in form and color at the State Teacher’s College in Forming, Oslo, influencing a generation of artists and educators.
Artistic Contributions
Johnsen’s work is characterized by a deep understanding of weaving techniques and material exploration. Her creations include tapestries, applications, collages, and watercolors, often developed in collaboration with her husband, painter and textile artist Per Göransson. Notable public commissions include:
Stavanger Library (1962–65): Tapestries titled “Melkeveien,” “Syvstjernen,” “Jorden,” and “Solen.”
Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (1971–73): A series titled “De fire elementer.”
Supreme Court of Norway (1986): A tapestry titled “Lovens bokstaver.”
Her work “Hav,” a non-figurative tapestry combining wool and metal thread to depict the sea at sunrise, exemplifies her innovative material use.
Recognition and Legacy
In 1965, Johnsen was awarded the prestigious Lunning Prize for her groundbreaking textile works. She maintained studios in Oslo, at the family estate “Gunnarsbo” in Östergötland, Sweden, and in Villa Faraldi, Italy, where she was part of a Nordic artist community.
Johnsen passed away on 28 June 2015 at Gunnarsbo near Linköping, Sweden. Her contributions to textile art and education continue to inspire, reflecting a profound engagement with materials and techniques.