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The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual (The Power of Healing), 2008. Rashid Johnson in his studio. Do your concepts emerge medium- specific, or does the form evolve as you work through an idea? RJ: For me, the idea usually comes first, but it arrives in a fairly open state. I don't begin with a strict allegiance to a medium; instead, I think about what form will allow the idea to breathe. Sometimes that means painting, because painting allows for a certain intimacy and immediacy. Other times it becomes sculpture, installation, film, or performance because the idea demands space or duration or physical presence. I've always thought of my practice as somewhat porous in that way. The materials themselves also carry meaning. Materials such as shea butter, plants, books, steel, tile … they're not neutral. They hold cultural memory and emotional weight. So the work often becomes a negotiation between the conceptual impulse and the material world. The form evolves through that conversation. Your son is in his teenage years — an extremely formative time. What are you ready to share with him? RJ: Teenage years are fascinating because you begin to see a person forming their own interior world. As a parent, you realize you're no longer simply guiding — you're accompanying. I'm interested in exposing him to experiences that open up possibility. Travel is a big one. I want him to see how different people live, how culture shifts from place to place. I want him to understand that the world is larger than any single narrative. But I'm also interested in quieter things like conversations about books, music, ideas, even uncertainty. I grew up in a household where intellectual curiosity was encouraged, and I hope to offer him something similar. More than anything, I want him to develop a sense of freedom. The freedom to think, freedom to question, freedom to imagine himself in the world in ways that aren't limited by expectation. Co-curator Andrea Karnes The dramatic placement of plants in the Guggenheim's Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda for the NYC run of "A Poem for Deep Thinkers" was very site-specific … AK: The hanging garden became an iconic, highly photographed moment at the Guggenheim. Rashid created a site-specific version for The Modern as well — one that responds to the scale and materiality of the Tadao Ando building. It brings a sense of warmth and drama to those serene concrete spaces. I won't spoil the surprise, but it's a powerful dialogue between the work and the architecture, and it's something you really have to experience in person. Other changes from the Guggenheim's original staging. AK: The exhibition at The Modern is largely consistent with its presentation at the Guggenheim, but there are meaningful differences. We've added select loans from Texas collections to underscore Rashid's strong presence and support in the region. I've always appreciated seeing exhibitions in more than one venue — like revisiting a favorite film or song, each encounter reveals something new. At the Guggenheim, the show unfolded thematically, almost as a progression of ideas. Here in Fort Worth, we opted for a primarily chronological installation, which allows audiences to trace a different narrative arc through Rashid's practice. The galleries here also afford many of the works generous space, creating long sight lines throughout the building. In some cases, you can stand before an early work and see, several galleries away, a much later piece. That visual continuity emphasizes the evolution and enduring c o n c e r n s o f R a s h i d 's practice in a particularly dynamic way. The program you're most excited for audiences to see. AK: We're especially excited about a stage Rashid created for the grand lobby, just outside of the auditorium. Conceived as a platform for audience participation, it invites other creatives to use their voices. We'll be activating the stage with spoken word, poetry, and other performances, and there will be scheduled open-mic times. It's a meaningful extension of Rashid's practice: He consistently considers the audience in a reciprocal way, creating spaces for exchange rather than passive viewing. Another true highlight will be an open house for all FWISD middle school students. As a teenager, Rashid was deeply influenced by visits in his hometown to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Art Institute of Chicago. Young people with access to art at formative moments in their lives is important to him — and to us. "Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers" at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, through September 27, themodern.org. COURTESY THE ARTIST AND HAUSER & WIRTH. PHOTO BY JOSHUA WOODS. RUBELL MUSEUM, MIAMI AND WASHINGTON, DC. © RASHID JOHNSON. 79