God's True Cashmere Customized Hat

Rashid Johnson (b. 1977, Chicago) is a leading figure among contemporary American artists, recognized for a multidisciplinary practice that explores themes of art history, cultural identity—both individual and collective—personal narrative, literature, philosophy, and critical history. Johnson earned a BA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago and pursued graduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Although he began his career in photography, Johnson’s practice quickly expanded to encompass a wide range of media including sculpture, painting, drawing, filmmaking, and installation. His work often incorporates materials loaded with personal and cultural symbolism—such as shea butter, black soap, books, plants, and tile—frequently referencing his upbringing and African American identity. In recent years, his work has increasingly engaged with existential themes, exploring interiority, anxiety, and transitional states.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, a mid-career survey was on view at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2025 and opened this year at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

A portion of the proceeds from this sale will go in support of Rethink Food.

Artist Portrait: Joshua Woods, courtesy of Hauser & Wirth.