norMAL and unreMARKable

Throughline is proud to introduce norMAL and unreMARKable, with new works by member artists Heather L. Johnson and Henry G. Sanchez. The exhibition will open on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 3909 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. An opening reception will occur on Saturday, January 10, from 6-9pm.

The title of this exhibition repurposes a comforting phrase commonly used in medical exam results that report “healthy” findings. Artists Henry G. Sanchez and Heather L. Johnson have appropriated the phrase to confront the persistence of technological and chemical solutions that humans have adopted for the maintenance of our daily lives. Considering this dichotomy to be physically and socially precarious, Johnson and Sanchez use their own experiences to question how we so often accept unconditionally the accelerating degradation of the environment, our social bonds, and consequentially, our mental and physical health. Johnson works with embroidery and drawing to explore, through the lens of her own love of machines, the physical manifestations of environmental toxicity brought on by our dependence on technology. Sanchez experiments with multimedia installations to consider how his 2017 diagnosis of Stage 4 colon cancer resulted in the halting of his artistic ambitions - simultaneously opening doors for personal vision and expression.

Heather L. Johnson uses a wide range of media to explore human fragility and strength relative to mechanical systems that deliver safety and comfort while accelerating extinction. Her work has appeared internationally in venues such as Women and Their Work, White Columns (NYC), Lawndale Art Center, Yam Gallery (Mexico), DiverseWorks, and many others. Recent projects include In Search of the Frightening and Beautiful, a solo motorcycle journey and art-gifting venture entailing travel throughout the Americas; and The Brio Memory Project, for which she re-presents stories from Houston residents whose lives have been altered by industrial pollution. Recent accolades include piloting the Grand Canyon National Park’s Artist Residency program; inclusion in the Texas Biennial; and a Houston Arts Alliance Support for Artists and Creative Individuals Grant. heatherLjohnson.com

Henry G. Sanchez is an interdisciplinary and social practice artist. His durational projects are: The BioArt Bayou-torium (2018-present), a bilingual bio-art project that promotes stewardship of Houston’s Buffalo Bayou’s environment; L.O.C.C.A.: Law Office Center for Citizenship and Art (2015-2022), a platform that collaborated with artists and social justice groups in Houston’s East End; and the ENGLISH KILLS PROJECT (2011-2018), a bio-art project that proposed community-based bioremediation strategies for a Superfund site in Brooklyn, NYC. Sanchez is completing his experimental film, TODOS, involving five Houston-area artists and political philosophy. He was awarded grants from the Houston Arts Alliance’s “City Initiative”, “Support for Artists and Creative Individuals”, and “Let Creativity Happen” ; and the Andy Warhol Foundation “Idea Fund Grant”.  Sanchez was the 2022 Inaugural Artist-in-Residence for the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Henry-G-Sanchez.com

Scheduled Programs: 

• Artist Talk: Saturday, January 17, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
  Moderated by Dr. Weston Twardowski, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Studies, Rice University

• 3 Flows: An Experimental Sound Performance: Thursday, January 22, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  With Garland Fielder, John Alan Kennedy, and Aga Zet

• Throughline Two-Block Tour (TTT): Saturday, January 31, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
  A walking tour of exhibitions by Throughline alumni Jake Eshelman and Margaux Crump, and current members Louisa Duarte, Heather L. Johnson, and Henry G. Sanchez. Tour begins at Throughline, at 1pm sharp.

• Closing Reception: Saturday, February 8, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm