By Lydia Kacala
The Akron Art Museum shows a wide variety of contemporary artwork created by artists from all over the world and in many different media. Among them, now on display is American artist Rashid Johnson’s “Untitled Escape Collage,” a 2018 mixed-media piece that immediately grabs your attention yet is open to many interpretations upon closer look.
Johnson’s work is part of a larger exhibition at the museum centering around “Images of Blackness,” which brings together representations of Black experiences by artists from around the world. Wendy Earle, curator at the Akron Art Museum, tells Canvas about the importance and relevance of the engaging piece.
Canvas: What makes “Untitled Escape Collage” noteworthy?
Earle: The imagery that notable artist Rashid Johnson has created offers many different interpretations. Some may be interested in the iconography, with its depictions of palm trees and lush jungles (from stock images) that could represent parts of Africa and the African diaspora. The foliage could also represent Vietnam – as a child, the artist found boxes of photographs his father took when deployed in the Vietnam War. There are also depictions of African masks and numerous almond shapes that recall portals or shields. The very idea of escape, from the title of the piece, could represent different ideas for different visitors.
What response does the piece create for the viewer?
Earle: This piece will invoke a range of responses and interpretations, depending on the viewer’s personal experiences and point of view. We hope people spend time with this piece and think about its context within world history. Because the artist has used black soap and wax, which have strong smells, other senses might contribute to viewer response.
How do the materials used add to the overall feeling of the collage?
Earle: “Untitled Escape Collage” uses a variety of materials: ceramic tile, mirror tile, vinyl, spray enamel, oilstick, black soap and wax. The mirrored tile creates a strong sense of reflection in the collage, but their shape also evokes portals and escape. The ceramic tiles invoke both the public and private sphere, from bathrooms to subways. Black soap, which Johnson uses frequently in his artwork, can be seen as a symbol of the search for culture and self-hood within the African diaspora.
What was happening at the time that might have influenced the artist?
Earle: This piece was created in 2018, around the same time Johnson was creating the film “Native Son,” his directorial debut based on the acclaimed 1940 novel by Richard Wright.
What makes this a notable work from Johnson?
Earle: This wall piece is a large collage that combines different materials and art-making practices. Johnson is recognized as an important voice of his generation who creates artwork in a huge variety of media that can be seen as meditations on race and class. Johnson will have a mid-career retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum that opens in spring 2025.
What else should we know about this piece?
Earle: In his own words, Johnson uses “alchemy, divination, astronomy and other sciences that combine the natural and spiritual worlds” to augment Black history.
ON VIEW: “Untitled Escape Collage”
Artist: Rashid Johnson
Year: 2018
Find it: On display as part of an “Images of Blackness” theme, running now through the end of September 2025 at the Akron Art Museum at 1 S. High St. The gallery will be closed from March 31, 2025 through April 18, 2025, for another installation. “Untitled Escape Collage” is on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation.
