Rashid Johnson: Exploring Post-Black Art, Identity, Fatherhood, and the Soul Through His Work

Rashid Johnson: Artist Overview

Rashid Johnson (b. 1977) is a renowned American artist known for his conceptual, multidisciplinary practice that blends elements of African American history, personal narrative, and material symbolism. Rising to prominence in the early 2000s, Johnson was a standout in the pivotal Freestyle exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem, which helped define the idea of “post-Black” art - a framework that acknowledges racial identity while challenging its limitations.

Early Life and Afrocentric Upbringing in Chicago

Born in Illinois and raised in Chicago and Evanston, Johnson grew up in an Afrocentric household, shaped by academic rigor and cultural pride. His mother, Cheryl Johnson-Odim, was a historian and scholar, while his father, Jimmy Johnson, was both a Vietnam veteran and an artist. This blend of intellectualism and creative expression - alongside the influence of hip hop, BET, and Black political life - deeply informed Johnson's artistic lens.

Education and Early Artistic Exploration at Columbia and SAIC

Trained in photography, Johnson earned his BFA from Columbia College Chicago and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Early in his career, he drew attention for experimental photographic works that incorporated materials like chicken bones, shea butter, and black-eyed peas - symbolic references to African American life and cultural memory.

Mixed Media, Symbolism, and Recurring Themes in Johnson’s Art

Over the years, his practice expanded to include sculpture, installation, video, and painting, often marked by a fusion of alchemy, history, mysticism, and science. Recurring themes in his work include escapism, anxiety, masculinity, and the tension between personal identity and collective experience.

Major Works and Museum Exhibitions Featuring Rashid Johnson

Notable series like Anxious Men, The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club, and The Dead Lecturer reflect both psychological introspection and broader cultural critique. His works have been exhibited at major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Film Direction and Rashid Johnson’s Expansion into Cinema

In 2019, Johnson made his directorial debut with Native Son, an adaptation of Richard Wright’s seminal novel, earning praise for its visual ambition and nuanced performances. He continues to explore new media and ideas, with recent commissions including monumental mosaics at the Metropolitan Opera and record-setting sales of his works at auction.

A Leading Voice in Contemporary Conceptual Art

With a practice that bridges the cerebral and the spiritual, Rashid Johnson remains a vital and continually evolving voice in contemporary art.

Rashid Johnson on Fatherhood, Identity, and the Liminal Space of Being an Artist

How Fatherhood Influences Rashid Johnson’s Artistic Practice

In a candid interview, acclaimed American artist Rashid Johnson shares rare insights into how fatherhood has shaped his creative practice and personal evolution. Known for his pioneering role in post-Black art, Johnson reflects not only on his artistic trajectory but on deeply personal themes often overlooked in discussions with male artists.

From the outset, Johnson discusses the under-asked question of how being a father has influenced his work. He notes that while female artists are frequently asked how motherhood impacts creativity, male artists - himself included - are rarely afforded the same inquiry. Yet for Johnson, becoming a parent has been central to his development both as a person and as a creative thinker.

Parenthood, Matrescence, and Gendered Narratives in Art

The interview introduces the concept of "matrescence" - a term referring to the psychological and physical transformation that women undergo through motherhood. Johnson acknowledges the importance of these discussions around women’s experiences, but calls for a broader recognition of how parenthood affects men, especially artists navigating questions of identity, responsibility, and legacy.

Exploring Liminal Space Through Personal Experience

One of the most poignant parts of the conversation involves Johnson’s reflection on what he calls “liminal space” - a theme that lies at the heart of much of his art. He speaks eloquently about the transitional nature of his current life: being a father to a young son while still being a son to his own father, who remains active and influential in his life. This “in-betweenness” - being both a guide and someone still being guided - mirrors the conceptual and emotional spaces his artwork often explores.

Themes of Identity and Complexity in Rashid Johnson’s Work

This layered identity resonates with Johnson’s broader body of work, which blends personal narrative, Black history, symbolism, and philosophical inquiry. Whether through mixed media, sculpture, or photography, Johnson consistently interrogates the psychological complexities of identity and the fluidity of cultural roles - particularly within the African American experience.

Rashid Johnson Discusses His Soul Paintings and the Concept of 'Now'

Rashid Johnson and His Harper’s Bazaar Feature

In a recent video for Harper’s Bazaar, Rashid Johnson, known for his influential role in post-Black art, explores the inspiration behind his Soul Paintings - a body of work featured on the cover of the magazine’s Now Issue. Based in New York, Johnson discusses the significance of time, presence, and consciousness in his practice.

Blending Timelessness and Nowness in Contemporary Art

Johnson reflects on the intersection of nowness and timelessness, explaining that the most powerful artworks often live in both realms. For him, the "now" represents a moment of truth, urgency, and personal alignment. When artists are able to merge the immediacy of the present with the enduring power of the eternal, Johnson believes it leads to the most innovative and ambitious creations.

The Meaning Behind Rashid Johnson’s Soul Paintings

Johnson's Soul Paintings respond directly to the cultural and emotional climate of our time. As he puts it, both society and individuals are going through a period of deep soul-searching - examining what kind of world we currently occupy and what kind of future we hope to shape. These paintings attempt to visually explore the soul, delving into identity, growth, and emotional complexity through gesture, color palette, and composition.

How the Concept of ‘Now’ Grounds Artistic Growth

For Johnson, the soul paintings mark a transitional point in his creative journey. They arise from asking difficult questions: “Where am I now? What’s next?” That inquiry redirects him to the present moment, the “nowness” that informs his future work. This reflective process becomes a way of reconnecting with both personal identity and collective consciousness through visual language.

The Role of Gesture, Identity, and Collective Experience

Johnson explains that the soul paintings function as explorations of both internal and external realities. They tap into the emotional and psychological dimensions of the self, while also acknowledging the shared experience of navigating today’s challenges. Using amplified gestures and layered symbolism, Johnson examines the tension between individual subjectivity and societal influence.

Balancing Present Awareness with Past and Future Context

The artist cautions against being consumed by present circumstances, arguing for a dual awareness: one foot firmly in the current moment, and the other imagining the possibilities of the future - informed by a deep understanding of the past. With a historian mother, Johnson has always been attuned to how history shapes the future, and his work reflects this temporal consciousness.

Consciousness as Rashid Johnson’s Artistic Medium

In a powerful closing statement, Johnson suggests that his true medium may not be painting or sculpture, but consciousness itself. He urges viewers to consider awareness, identity, and nowness as valid and essential forms of creative material. In this way, his Soul Paintings act as portals - mapping out the emotional and historical terrain of the moment while inviting audiences to reflect inward.

Rashid Johnson’s Vision of Identity, History, and the Art of Now

Rashid Johnson stands as one of the most influential and intellectually dynamic figures in contemporary art today. Across decades of artistic innovation, he has continually redefined what it means to be a conceptual artist working through the lens of Black identity, psychological introspection, and historical consciousness. From his early experiments with symbolic materials like shea butter and chicken bones to his celebrated Soul Paintings and high-profile museum exhibitions, Johnson’s practice is one of deep inquiry and intentional disruption.

At the core of his work is a fearless engagement with themes often under-explored in traditional art discourse - especially from the perspective of a Black male artist. His reflections on fatherhood, liminality, and collective experience open new spaces for thinking about identity, masculinity, and the emotional complexities of navigating between personal and cultural roles. Johnson doesn’t just create visually compelling works - he builds symbolic systems that provoke dialogue and foster connection across time, memory, and consciousness.

Whether through his contributions to post-Black art, his expansion into film with Native Son, or his recent meditations on “nowness” as a form of artistic medium, Johnson continues to position himself at the intersection of the personal and the political, the eternal and the immediate. His Soul Paintings - marked by expressive gesture and emotional resonance - are emblematic of his unique ability to distill complex social and spiritual questions into visual language.

As his work is added to the permanent collections of the world’s leading institutions and his influence grows across disciplines, Rashid Johnson remains a critical force in shaping the narrative of 21st-century art. He challenges us not only to see, but to feel, to question, and to reflect. His art invites us to understand the present with clarity, hold the past with respect, and imagine a future shaped by awareness, identity, and the power of transformation.

Rashid Johnson - Selected Works