Rashid Johnson: Anxiety as a Trace of the Contemporary

Through visceral and symbolic painting, Rashid Johnson explores anxiety as a core condition of modern life, turning inner turmoil into a radical act of resistance.

28.08.25

Born in Chicago in 1977, Rashid Johnson is a leading figure in contemporary American art, known for his multifaceted practice that spans a diverse range of media. His work probes the intersections of art history, cultural identity—both individual and collective—personal storytelling, literature, philosophy, materiality, and critical history. Johnson earned a BA in Photography from Columbia College in Chicago before pursuing his master’s degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His artistic practice quickly expanded beyond photography to encompass sculpture, painting, drawing, filmmaking, and installation, developing into a complex, multidisciplinary approach that integrates rich symbolism and personal history through a wide array of materials. 

Johnson's work is distinguished by its narrative use of everyday objects and materials—often drawn from his childhood—which are embedded with cultural significance and personal resonance. His more recent works explore existential themes such as collective and personal anxiety, inner turmoil, and the ambiguity of transitional or liminal spaces. Through this lens, Johnson invites a deep reflection on the complexities of identity and human experience, using art as a means to examine the emotional and psychological dimensions of contemporary life.

In Anxious Red Painting December 18th (2020), Rashid Johnson confronts the visceral expression of an existential condition that overwhelms the contemporary individual: anxiety. With his characteristic use of vibrant red and an intimate approach to the canvas, the work is not merely a pictorial act but an investigation into the psychic moment where the human being is suspended between presence and absence of self. This is not a simple representation of an emotion, but rather the construction of a space that reflects inner conflict, uncertainty, and the unrest that define our contemporary experience. The canvas, created in 2020, explores the tension between body and mind, evoking an internal turmoil that never fully resolves. 

Rashid Johnson with his work ‘Anxious Red Painting December 18th’, 2020 Rashid Johnson with his work ‘Anxious Red Painting December 18th’, 2020

The anxiety that permeates the painting is not a fleeting sentiment, but a chronic, intimate condition that rejects any final resolution. The use of striking red, dominating the piece, becomes not just an expression of emotional violence, but also a metaphor for a world that, despite being hyper-connected and overproduced, remains inaccessible, unable to soothe the concerns that torment the psyche.

Johnson’s technique, using oils and resins on canvas, is not just an expressive tool, but a reflection on time itself. Every brushstroke seems an act of resistance, a way to emerge from the tide of uncertainties, yet never fully break free. The painted surface does not offer itself as a clear or resolute vision but as a battleground, a continuous distancing from a definitive understanding of oneself and the world around us. This reflection of inner conflict is heightened by the temporal dimension of the work, which prompts the viewer to consider the duration of an emotion that is not just personal, but collective, seeping into modernity as a universal and inescapable condition.

In analyzing the work through a critical lens, it becomes evident that the anxiety in Anxious Red Painting December 18this not just a symptom of the individual but a reflection of our society. Modernity, with its incessant bombardment of stimuli, its constant demand for performance and success, has imposed an existential condition of frenzy and instability. Johnson captures this instability, but without seeking a resolution, without the illusion of regaining control. The tension between the blazing red and the lack of a defined form is a powerful critique of our ceaseless race toward a stability that no longer exists, an invitation to confront the impossibility of a definitive resolution.

The way Johnson works the canvas, without a fixed point of reference, amplifies the discontinuity that characterizes our reality. The work suggests a reflection on the fluidity of contemporary identity, which escapes rigid definitions and continually dissolves into a sea of uncertainties. Anxiety, in this context, becomes the engine for a broader reflection, a social commentary on today’s society, where the sense of insecurity and inadequacy pervades every facet of life.

In Johnson’s work, anxiety manifests as a powerful and inevitable force, a condition that cannot be rationalized or contained. There is no escape, no easy solution. The canvas is not just an expression of inner suffering, but an act of rebellion against the rationality that tries to label or resolve emotional chaos. Red, therefore, becomes not only the color of unease but also that of resistance: resistance to normalization, to false tranquility, and to society's ability to continue projecting an image of unattainable perfection.

Rashid Johnson, Anxious Red Painting December 18th, 2020 Rashid Johnson, Anxious Red Painting December 18th, 2020

Ultimately, Anxious Red Painting December 18th is more than just a work of art. It is a meditation on the human condition in an era that, despite being more connected than ever, has lost its sense of tranquility. Johnson’s work does not merely represent an emotion; it challenges the viewer, pushing them to confront the reality of their existential anxiety. Art becomes a way to recognize and resist an affliction that cannot be eliminated, but that, when faced, acquires meaning.

Cover image: Rashid Johnson, Anxious Red Painting December 18th, 2020

Figlia adottiva di Milano ma nata in Campania. Ne ho raccontato la cultura viscerale, i suoi eccessi sentimentali, il culto del quotidiano e del sacro. Scrivo di arte, moda, cibo, rabbia, eretismo psichico e polemiche sterili. Ho scritto di corpi queer, sangue nell’arte, edicole non ordinarie e di amore. Mi piacciono le parole complesse, la frutta matura e i flussi di coscienza. 

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