Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers is the artist’s largest exhibition to date, his first solo presentation in the southwestern United States, and his first major museum survey in more than a decade. Johnson, one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation, is internationally recognized for his multidisciplinary practice that spans painting, sculpture, film, and installation. His work is represented in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

Tracing Johnson’s trajectory from his early experiments in photography and video to his recent materially complex paintings and assemblages, A Poem for Deep Thinkers engages art history, philosophy, and Black popular culture as frameworks for exploring the human psyche. The exhibition reflects on themes of history, identity, masculinity, parenthood, and self-care, underscoring Johnson’s role as both an interpreter of art history and a shaper of contemporary culture.

This exhibition brings together nearly 90 works, including black-soap paintings, spray-painted text pieces, monumental sculptures, film, and video. Highlights include a site-specific installation, an outdoor sculpture, and two works activated through live performance.

The exhibition is organized by the Guggenheim’s Deputy Director and Jennifer and David Stockman Chief Curator, Naomi Beckwith, and Chief Curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Andrea Karnes, with additional support from Guggenheim Curatorial Assistant Faith Hunter.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers is made possible through lead support from the Jedel Family Foundation.