Although artist Rashid Johnson explores themes of identity and black history in his work, he does not see the exhibition of his work at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum to be an exploration of the black experience.
What it does show is the breadth of his work during the last fifteen years, in multiple mediums and with multiple layers of meaning.
"I don’t really choose to define a specific message," said Johnson. "Critical theory, art history, critical race history, music history, gesture, abstraction, film, installation, all of these things are kind of paired together to provide an opportunity to read a narrative, but the narrative is not necessarily delivered."
Johnson considers himself a "post-medium" artist, and his work includes everything from photography to sculpture, painting and film.
The variety in his work is what brought Johnson to the attention of Meredith Malone, assistant curator at the Kemper.
“It has so many levels,” said Malone. “And they are all important topics that we want to engage with.”
Related Event
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Presents “Rashid Johnson: Message to Our Folks”
September 20, 2013 - January 6, 2014
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. first Friday of the month.
Closed Tuesdays.
Washington University's Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
(314) 935-4523
Website:Washington University Website
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer, hosted bySteve Potter and funded in part by the the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.