‘A Poem for Deep Thinkers’ Is Rashid Johnson at His Most Vulnerable

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Summary

  • Over 90 works spanning Rashid Johnson’s three-decade career
  • “Sanguine” installation transforms the Guggenheim’s rotunda into a living archive
  • Themes of race, identity, mental health and collective expression

The Guggenheim Museum in New York City is currently featuring an extensive solo exhibition by artist Rashid Johnson titled “Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers“. This show, which is curated by Naomi Beckwith and Andrea Karnes, fills the museum’s iconic spiraling rotunda with over 90 works that delve into themes of race, personal background, mental health, and cultural legacy.

At the summit of the incline, you’ll find an engaging on-site exhibit called “Sanguine.” It features steel frameworks housing live plants, literature penned by Black authors, and a piano set up for public concerts. This display is purposefully designed to blend with the environment and its visitors, echoing Frank Lloyd Wright’s concept of a museum as a vibrant, living entity.

During the entire exhibition, Johnson employs diverse materials such as black soap, shea butter, ceramic, and wax to delve into the essence of Black identity and emotional journey. In his “Anxious Men and Broken Men” collection, he etches faces onto tiled surfaces, creating a repetitive pattern reminiscent of an unforgettable memory. These pieces resonate with the lived experience of bearing both visible and intangible tension.

As a thoughtful art enthusiast, I’m excited to share that my current favorite exhibition, “Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers,” is being showcased at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in New York City, running until January 18, 2026. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking display!

Guggenheim
1071 5th Ave
New York, NY 10128

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2025-05-08 21:25