Mark Johnson started his long journey into the Asian and tribal art world collecting Central Asian Ikat Textiles in the early to mid 1970’s. Fascinated by the colors, unique designs, and technical expertise of the weavers, he went on a relentless quest to find more of these fantastic silk textiles. He traveled to Afghanistan and other parts of Asia and like many young explorers at the time, was taken by the beauty of the people and the depth of their ancient cultures. Each trip to Asia brought new discoveries and expanded interest in other cultures and artifacts. Eventually, he focused his attention on the Tribal Arts of Indonesia, especially the island of Borneo.

Today, Mr. Johnson is considered one of the principal specialists in the United States on the Tribal Arts of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Through extensive travel, years of research, and study of important collections, he has gained significant knowledge and expertise on the material culture and history of the tribal peoples of this region. He has lectured at galleries and museums, provided information, and loaned many rare objects from his extensive collection to many of the important exhibitions of Indonesian Tribal Arts in this country. In addition, he is the official advisor on Indonesian Tribal Art for the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, California.

He currently runs his business, Mark A. Johnson Tribal Art from his residence in Los Angeles, California. He exhibits annually at the highest caliber Tribal Art Shows in the United States (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Fe) and was an early pioneer on the internet for marketing Asian and Tribal Art via his website at www.markajohnson.com. He is a founding member and first director of Asian & Tribal Arts-Los Angeles (ATA-LA), a new organization of Los Angeles based dealers working together to promote the local community of museums, collectors, and sources specializing in Asian and Tribal Art.

As a source for Tribal Art, Mr. Johnson is dedicated to providing only the highest quality, authentic art objects. He specializes in Tribal Southeast Asia, primarily the Indonesian Islands of Borneo, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Nusa Tenggara (Flores, Sumba, Timor, etc.). His collection includes, but is not limited to, antique sculpture, textiles, beadwork, jewelry, basketry, architectural pieces, and other ethnographic items. He has in his extensive inventory early Chinese and Southeast Asian bronzes, pottery (Neolithic to Han), stone sculpture, woodcarvings, and decorative pieces. From other areas of Asia, he has Central Asian textiles, Philippine tribal artifacts, Himalayan masks, and miscellaneous cultural objects from Taiwan, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.

*A special note on authenticity: The objects that I offer for sale are, to the best of my knowledge and experience, authentic, cultural artifacts. This means the pieces were originally made by and to be used by the people who made them and not items made for the tourist market. This does not necessarily mean every item I have is an antique, although most of them are. For example, in some regions of Indonesia there are existing tribal cultures that to this day are still making items for their use. However, generally speaking, most authentic artifacts tend to be made prior to the advent of the worldwide tourist explosion in the 1980's. This is particularly true in Indonesia, where nearly all of the items sold in the marketplaces of Bali and Java are reproductions or fakes. Unfortunately, most people who are buying these pieces do not know this (or care!) and often these pieces show up for sale in the West (and now quite regularly on the Internet) as authentic artifacts. All potential buyers and collectors need to be aware of this trend and be careful when purchasing items from unknowledgable or disreputable sources. Never assume that because you are told something is authentic, that it is. It is rare for good, old pieces to be found easily and cheaply, so if it sounds like a "bargain" there might be a reason for it. I recommend investigating and questioning any new source and making sure that you get a complete and unconditional written guarantee of authenticity and condition. Whenever possible, develop relationships with museums, curators, conservators and restorers, as well as with your sources to learn and verify as much of the information as you can. I can not emphasis enough to research, read related publications, visit museum and private collections, and look at as many pieces as possible to help develop your own knowledge and experience. There are competent and reputable sources and authentic objects available, if you do your "homework"! Collecting great, authentic Antiquities and Tribal Artifacts is a rewarding experience, but one must do it in a careful and thoughtful way.

DUE TO UNEXPLAINABLE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, MY OLD TOLL FREE NUMBER 1(800) 923-1653 IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE. I HAVE A NEW TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1(888) 980-2662 FOR ANY PHONE ENQUIRES. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH SPAM, I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CHANGED MY EMAIL ADDRESS FROM asiaart@markajohnson.com TO gallery@markajohnson.com. THE OLD EMAIL WILL BE PHASED OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, SO PLEASE UPDATE YOUR PRIMARY CONTACT INFO AND USE THE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FROM NOW ON. I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE, BUT I HAD TO MAKE THESE CHANGES (AFTER 10 YEARS). AS ALWAYS, EMAIL ENQUIRES ARE PREFERRED.