Untitled (Anxious Red), 2021

Rashid Johnson’s Untitled Anxious Red (2021) exemplifies the artist’s ongoing exploration of identity, emotion, and collective anxiety. This work, created using silkscreen resist with hand-applied pigment, measures 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm) and belongs to a limited edition of 51. The piece features Johnson’s signature “Anxious Men” motif—distorted, expressive faces that appear etched into layers of red pigment. The intense, vivid red color dominates the composition, amplifying the emotional charge and evoking themes of urgency, anger, and vulnerability. Through this visual language, Johnson delves into the psychological pressures of contemporary life, especially as they relate to social unrest and personal mental health struggles. The hand-applied pigment introduces a sense of rawness and individuality to each edition, highlighting the tension between the mechanical process of silkscreening and the personal, human touch of the artist.

Untitled Anxious Red continues Johnson’s practice of addressing universal emotions while grounding his work in the Black experience. The faces, with their wide eyes and jagged lines, communicate a universal expression of unease, resonating with a global audience while subtly referencing racial and historical trauma. The red palette intensifies the emotional impact, alluding to danger, violence, or even vitality, making the artwork deeply visceral. Johnson’s technique, blending the precision of silkscreen with the unpredictability of hand-applied pigment, reflects the duality of order and chaos, mirroring the complexities of human emotion. This piece stands as a powerful commentary on the collective anxieties of the modern era while maintaining Johnson’s deeply personal and expressive style.