Jackson Free Press

If you have seen an exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of Art over the last two decades, you've witnessed the hard work of assistant preparator Melvin Johnson.

Prior to the opening of each exhibit, Johnson customizes frames for artwork, maneuvers the often-heavy installation pieces and solves unexpected problems that arise. Most recently, he helped install "The Orient Expressed: Japan's Influence on Western Art, 1854-1918," which opened Feb. 19. The exhibit features paintings, prints, decorative arts and graphic designs that demonstrate the impact of Japan on the West.

"It's quite a big exhibit, we have several prints," he says. "We have a lot to prepare, and a lot of mats to cut. ... We had difficulty getting all the pieces here because a lot of them were shipped from places up north like Pennsylvania and New York (when) they were having a lot of snowstorms."

Although the installations never go as smoothly as planned, Mississippi Museum of Art spokesman Julian Rankin says Johnson's sharp mind and experienced hands have been instrumental for the exhibits to open on schedule.

The Yazoo City native moved to Jackson in 1975. He says the best part of his job is meeting new people and seeing a wide array of art exhibits.

"The Orient Expressed" is on display at the Mississippi Museum of Art through July 17. For more information, visit the museum's website.