Rashid Johnson

Throughout his multimedia practice, Rashid Johnson explores elements of racial and cultural identity, African American history, and mysticism. While many of the artist’s early works took the form of conceptual photography, his practice has expanded to include sculptural installations, wall-based works that consider the legacy of painting, and assemblages that integrate manufactured materials such as shea butter, books, records, and incense. He also makes his own tools to score, scrape, engrave, and brand his pieces. Anxious, frenetically rendered square faces; mosaic compositions; and plant-filled installations are three recurring motifs. A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Johnson has shown in New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, Mexico City, London, and Athens, among other cities. In 2011, he featured in the international pavilion at the Venice Biennale. At auction, his work has sold for six and seven figures. In 2019, Johnson released his first feature film, an adaption of Richard Wright’s Native Son.