“I’m adopting materials, giving them a home, and employing them in my lexicon. My use of materials relies heavily on my personal relationship to them. Every material I use has a utilitarian purpose. Shea butter speaks to body coating and the failure to acquire an African-ness through its application. Black soap cleans sensitive skin. The vinyl records feed the soul. The books disseminate information. The goal is for all of the material to ‘miscegenate’ into a new language with me as its author.”
K nown for his multifaceted approach and embodiment of the uncertainty of our t.mes , Rashid Johnson speaks to a world filled with impulse and overstimulation while also reflecting on his personal journey. Working with diverse and numerous media forms, Johnson uses the physicality of his chosen materials to investigate the construction of identity – both visual and conceptual. Many of the materials used reference his own childhood as well as African American history and cultural identity, and in doing so Johnson simultaneously creates both a deeply personal and broader cultural narrative.
The Moment of Creation references the 1983 published exploration of the Big Bang by James S. Trefil, which Johnson recontextualizes while approaching the history, science and Western theories regarding the origins of the universe in an abstracted form. Using botanical elements as a symbol for life and growth set at the heart of the ecosystem of the world, the work becomes an autobiographical journey through Johnson’s life, and in so doing presents a manifestation of a macrocosmic idea by way of the microcosm of the individual’s life. Mirrored-tile works from the 2010s, such as The Moment of Creation, exemplify the multiple facets of his own personal identity through assemblages of domestic items on mirrored shelves. Instances of shattered glass explore the power of rupture and order within an idealized form of the grid and are symbolic of the living intervention of the pre-established structures in our society. Although these compositions could appear suggestive of black culture, in general, certain elements point directly towards Johnson’s more personal experiences, such as the CB radio, a reference to Johnson’s father’s electronics business. Moreover, various allusions to self-discovery and the meaning of existence for the individual are dominant throughout the inclusion of books.
The interest in Johnson’s Afrocentrism and the materials, musical and literary keystones of his own Afrocentric upbringing in the 1970s and 1980s are a constant source for much of his work. Black soap and shea butter are among the objects carefully arranged on the work’s shelves – personal objects referencing a period of t.mes the artist spent in West Africa, where black soap is used for the cleansing of sensitive skin. Shea butter is similarly used, and became a popular moisturizer within the African-American community in the 1970s, a token of the first era to celebrate African heritage and culture in America. This relationship to sensitivity is present in the work and incorporated as a signifier and healing substance, referencing the Black is Beautiful movement of that decade through items typically used in African beauty regimens, and suggesting the celebration of black culture as a curative measure for the ongoing struggles experienced by black Americans.
In a visually engaging way, Johnson also incorporates the viewer’s personal identity through the mirrored elements – in them, the viewer’s identity is always being captured and cannot be ignored while in the presence of the work. Furthermore, these mirrors allow self-reflection and self-identification to the objects, thus opening up a conversation about the history of black culture in relation to the greater society. Each chosen object, therefore, brings its own references and associations to the work, while at the same t.mes coming together as a whole as a form of realism: one person’s story never exists in isolation; rather, it is part of narratives told by various people at many different points in history.
Johnson believes that there is a new generation of artists of which he is part, that is creating a new dialogue about black culture in relationship to art history. He has stated: “There's a generation of black artists before me who made work specifically about the black experience. But I think for my generation, having grown up in the age of hip-hop and Black Entertainment Television, there's less of a need to define the black experience so aggressively to a white audience. I think it gives us a different type of opportunity to have a more complex conversation around race and identity. It’s not a weapon for me, it’s more of an interest” (Katy Cowan, ‘Rashid Johnson mixes painting and ceramic tile mosaics to express the anxiety and escapism of ‘Broken Men’, Creative Boom, 18 September 2020, online).
The Moment of Creation is test.mes nt to Johnson’s ability to redefine the narrative surrounding art made by black artists, while creating meaningful, impactful, and beautiful works in the process.
