A brush with... Rashid Johnson

A brush with... Rashid Johnson

Author: The Art Newspaper August 26, 2020 Duration: 59:05
Ben Luke talks to Rashid Johnson about the cultural experiences that have had an impact on his life and work. They discuss his beginnings as a photographer, but how he quickly occupied a "post-medium space", working in everything from film to sculpture, installation and, as with the other artists in the first series, in painting. Rashid talks about his use of materials like black soap and shea butter, the role of books in his work, and the personal and political background to his recent body of Anxious works, culminating in the new Anxious Red paintings. Through the conversation, Rashid reveals the influence of cultural figures as diverse as the hip-hop star Rakim, writers including Toni Morrison and Paul Beatty, and artists as diverse as Roy DeCarava, Franz Kline, Jean Dubuffet and David Hammons. He also answers our regular questions about studio rituals, the one artwork he would choose to live with, and, finally, what is art for? This episode is sponsored by Cork Street Galleries.

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Ever wondered what really makes an artist tick? A brush with... from The Art Newspaper goes beyond the finished work to explore the daily rhythms and deep inspirations that fuel the creative process. Each episode is a quiet, focused conversation between host Ben Luke and a leading international artist, structured around a set of deceptively simple questions. You’ll hear them discuss the historical and contemporary figures they look to, the museums they find themselves drawn back to repeatedly, and the books, music, and films that shape their thinking. Crucially, Luke invites them to describe the mundane magic of the studio-what actually happens there day to day. This approach reveals the person behind the practice in a way that feels intimate and genuine. Sponsored by Bloomberg Connects, the podcast builds a rich portrait of artistic life, one thoughtful dialogue at a time. It’s for anyone curious about the web of influences and habits that culminate in a piece of art, offering a rare glimpse into the minds that shape our visual culture. Tune in for conversations that are less about interrogation and more about discovery, where the answers often surprise even the artists themselves.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 135

A brush with...
Podcast Episodes
A brush with... Theaster Gates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:47
Ben Luke talks to Theaster Gates about his influences—including writers, musicians, film-makers and, of course, other artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Gates is an artist whose ever…
A brush with... John Akomfrah [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:24
Ben Luke talks to John Akomfrah about his influences—including writers, musicians, film-makers and, of course, other artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work.Akomfrah was born in Accra, Gha…
A brush with... William Kentridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:38
Ben Luke talks to William Kentridge about his influences—from the worlds of literature, music, film and, of course, art—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Kentridge was born in 1955 in Johan…
A brush with... Anicka Yi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:58
Ben Luke talks to Anicka Yi about her influences—from the worlds of literature, music and, of course, art—and the cultural experiences that have shaped her life and work. Yi creates installations and objects that sit on…
A brush with... Glenn Brown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:16
In this 50th episode of A brush with…, Ben Luke talks to Glenn Brown about his influences—from writers to film-makers, musicians and, of course, artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Br…
A brush with... Adam Pendleton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:07
Ben Luke talks to Adam Pendleton about his influences—from the worlds of literature, music and, of course, art—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Pendleton, born in 1984 in Richmond, Virgini…
A brush with… Pierre Huyghe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:19
Ben Luke talks to Pierre Huyghe about his influences—including writers, musicians and, of course, other artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Huyghe was born in 1962 in Paris and today…
A brush with... Zadie Xa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:41
Ben Luke talks to the Canadian-Korean artist Zadie Xa about her influences—from the worlds of literature, film, music and, of course, art—and the cultural experiences that have shaped her life and work. Xa was born in 19…
A brush with... Lina Iris Viktor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:13
Ben Luke talks to Lina Iris Viktor about her influences—including writers, film-makers, musicians, and, of course, other artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped her life and work. Born in the UK in 1987, th…
A brush with... Megan Rooney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:24
Ben Luke talks to Megan Rooney about her influences—including other artists, writers and musicians—and the cultural experiences that have shaped her life and work. Rooney was born in 1985 in South Africa, but grew up in…