Rashid Johnson Value: Top Prices Paid At Auction

Johnson's exploration of black identities permeates his practice, evident in evolving artworks defining his oeuvre. Surrender Painting Sunshine (2022) stands out within his Surrender series, evolving from earlier Anxious Men works. Distinguished by sinuous white patterns resembling ghostly faces, it commands attention with its grand scale, evoking the sun's radiant glow. Johnson's conceptual depth shines through deliberate repetition, each painted block possessing unique characteristics. Auctioned in 2022 to benefit the Right of Return Fellowship, it broke auction records for the artist, selling for £2.5 million with fees, marking a significant milestone in Johnson's artistic journey.

Continuing Johnson's Anxious Men series, Or Down You Fall (2021) seamlessly integrates into the broader Bruise paintings, which delve into societal and political consciousness. These artworks feature the recurring motif of the “anxious man” against a white canvas, rendered in varying shades of blue. Each melancholic face captures individual experiences of black trauma in a post-colonial context, conveying nuanced emotions through bold brushstrokes. Johnson's fulfillment in creating these pieces stems from their unfiltered honesty, resonating deeply with viewers. This large-scale canvas, one of two Bruise paintings in the secondary market, achieved £1.8 million with fees at Christie's 21st Century evening sale.

Standing Broken Man (2020) employs an array of ceramic tiles, featuring Johnson's signature box face motif amidst a burst of vibrant colours. Unlike the singular hues of his Anxious Men series, this artwork radiates intensity through its intricate material composition. Black soap and wax, traditional materials rich in black diasporic associations, add depth to its narrative, resembling a shattered mirror symbolising fragmented identities. Despite its shattered portrayal, Standing Broken Man exudes unity as the tiles harmoniously converge. Realising £1.4 million with fees at Phillips in November 2022, it underscores the value of Johnson's diverse series.

Johnson's Bruise Painting ”Picture Maker” (2021) is similar in size to the large-scale format to the previous work and from the same series. Demonstrarting the popularity of these works, in it's first time auction appearance the work achieved £1.4 million with fees selling in Christie's 2023 November sale.

Anxious Red Painting December 18th (2020) acts as a pivotal precursor to Rashid Johnson's Bruise and Surrender series. Immersed in bold crimson, the canvas showcases recurring mask motifs amidst expressive brushstrokes. Beneath this vibrant surface lies a symbolic depth, echoing the tumultuous events of our time and global instability. Conceived amid the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests, it serves as both a call to action and a plea for recognition. The grid-like patterns and emerging masks symbolise individual stories and shared experiences. Its socio-political significance resonates, reflected in its remarkable success, fetching £1.3 million with fees at Christie's in May 2021, far surpassing expectations.

Bruise Painting “U.S. Blue” (2021) is the most recent of Johnson's Bruise paintings to hit the market in May 2024. In the works first time the secondary market and a provenance traced to David Kordansky Gallery, this work withstood the affects of the cyberattacks and sold for £1.1 million with fees, performing above the high estimate, in Christie's May New York sales.

A top-performing name across the May New York sales, Johnson's Anxious Men series demonstrated their resilience across a a market met with timid spending in 2024. With a vibrant crimson display, Anxious Red Painting September 24th (2020) achieved £1.1 million with fees, a top performer in Phillips May sales and landing among his top selling prints.

The Crowd (2017), an early piece in Johnson's Anxious Audience series, serves as a cornerstone for his ongoing Anxious Men series. Crafted from ceramic, black soap, and wax, these materials hold profound significance in expressing the complexities of black identity. Drawing from personal experiences, Johnson's work resonates with global themes of grief and struggle. Strategically leaving voids for specific faces, he prompts questions about absence, representation, and significance. The distinct grid-like formation showcases discernible faces, evoking expressions of intensity and anguish. Operating on emotional and intellectual levels, these faces symbolise both an audience and potential community victims. The Crowd fetched £1 million with fees at Sotheby's Hong Kong, underscoring the diverse appeal of Johnson's art.

Untitled Escape Collage (2019) marks a departure from Johnson's typical grid-like compositions, venturing into a new artistic realm that reconciles black identity's intricate history with a vision of prosperity. Here, a geometric collage unfolds, depicting a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. Amidst lush vegetation, serene African deity eyes serve as symbols of ancestral connection. Yet, Johnson introduces elements of reality with dripping black paint, disrupting the utopian scene. This artwork delves into culture, heritage, and creative potential at the crossroads of past and future. Exhibited at David Kordansky Gallery in Los Angeles, it fetched £906,262 with fees at Sotheby's in May 2019.

Untitled Anxious Audience (2016) features fifteen faces arranged meticulously in a totemic grid, embodying Johnson's engagement with Gilles Deleuze's Theory on difference and repetition. Each face, while sharing an aesthetic, retains individuality, echoing Deleuze's exploration of identity and change. Johnson's work seamlessly harmonises with Deleuze's concepts, delving into fluid identity and evolving politics. It highlights the profound notion of inherent uniqueness within shared commonality. Sold at Christie's in October 2022, it fetched £882,000 affirming the resonance of Johnson's exploration of these philosophical themes in contemporary art.