Within the first ten minutes of the press preview for Rashid Johnson’s “Fly Away” at Hauser & Wirth, it became very clear that Johnson was going to take us on a beautiful journey involving art, society, and personal identity. “In the next 15-20 years we will all be minorities, and as minorities we have a responsibility…your body is inherently a political space.”
From monumental installations to a piano performance by music producer Antoine Baldwin, here our are reasons you should check out “Fly Away. ”
1. Hauser & Wirth’s gallery is visually spectacular
If you’ve ever been to Hauser & Wirth’s Chelsea gallery, you know what we’re talking about. With high ceilings and beautiful light, the gallery itself is worth the trip to West Chelsea. Then you add Johnson’s work and the space truly comes alive. “I consider these successful.” Johnson said of his body of work.
2. Plants, plants and more plants
If you are a botanist or lover of plants, you will love how Johnson incorporated plants into his work. Johnson said of plants, ‘As a kid I remember thinking that if you could actually live in a place with palm trees, if you could get away from the city and the cold, that meant you’d definitely made it.”
3. Catch Antoine Baldwin playing the piano
Within the sculpture of “Antoine’s Organ” (which is the largest of the artist’s architectural grid works), Johnson has placed an upright piano that will be periodically played by Baldwin, who has created original jazz compositions for the show.
4. Rashid Johnson has anxiety just like us
Johnson’s theme of anxiety runs rampant throughout his show. In the first room, visitors are surrounded by six large-scale panels of white ceramic tile covered with dozens of faces, in a series titled “Anxious Audiences.””New York makes me nervous as an artist and people feel anxious about the time we live in.” Feels good to know that we’re not the only ones with anxiety, right?
5. If the world ended, Johnson’s paintings would come in handy
Johnson uses shea butter and black soap in his works, something he has dubbed “cosmic slop.” Johnson told us during the press preview, “If everything went to hell or there was a zombie apocalypse, you could always use my paintings to clean yourself.”
“Fly Away” is on view at Hauser & Wirth, 511 West 18th Street, New York, Sep. 8–Oct. 22, 2016.
top image // Martin Parsekain, Hauser & Wirth
