Rashid Johnson’s Monument installation

I recently visited the Institute for Contemporary Art in Richmond to see Monument by Rashid Johnson. The scale of the installation was the first thing to hit me. It’s towering and expansive and impossible to capture the size in a photo. I’m always generally amazed at how an art installation can transform a space, and when I see Black artists’ large scale work in particular, I feel they intentionally invoke a sense of reverence.

What made the experience powerful was the cultural familiarity in the piece. I immediately recognized the shea butter used sculpturally in the installation but to most of us is something that is so mundane but deeply personal and Black. The abundance of tropical plants, the grid-like structure, and the references to both order and confinement were striking. This was a visual display, sure. But it was also a meditation on identity, memory, and legacy.

It always means something to see modern Black artists honored in public and institutional spaces, especially in cities like Richmond with such complex histories. Johnson’s work was both exhibited and elevated, and it made a statement about where we’ve been and where we’re going.