Rashid Johnson's 'Waves' exhibition explores pandemic anxiety and digital exhibition challenges

Rashid Johnson's solo exhibition 'Waves' reopened at Hauser & Wirth London following the UK lockdown, running through 23 December 2020. The New York-based artist created the 'Anxious Red' series during early pandemic isolation on Long Island, using Turkey Red oil sticks he discovered at his house. This new body of work evolved from his earlier 'Anxious Men' series (2015–17), with the red color conveying the urgency of the moment. Johnson developed a custom color called 'Anxious Red' with R&F Paints in New York. The exhibition also features his ongoing 'Broken Men' tile mosaics first presented in 2018, which the artist describes as collisions that organize themselves around current topics. Johnson reflects that the pandemic accelerated abstraction in his work and amplified themes he's negotiated for a decade. He discusses the filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's influence on bearing witness as an artist. Regarding digital exhibitions, Johnson sees opportunities for new architectural approaches online while acknowledging inherent limitations for work meant to be experienced in person. He notes galleries can be intimidating spaces that need better accessibility education. The artist remains committed to making art regardless of circumstances, viewing pressure as a privilege that amplifies his voice.