Rashid Johnson's "Cosmic Slop" series represents a significant exploration within his broader body of work, focusing on gesture, materiality, and the act of painting itself. Johnson regards these works as paintings, a medium through which he reintroduced painting into his practice. The creation process of the "Cosmic Slop" pieces is almost meditative for Johnson, offering him a space to engage deeply with his materials—black soap and wax—and to reflect on the authenticity and authorship of his gestures. These materials, which solidify as he works, require Johnson to interact with them within a limited timeframe, emphasizing the immediacy and temporality of his creative process (The Museum of Modern Art).
This series allows Johnson to explore the physicality of painting and the expressive potential of his chosen materials. He is particularly interested in the authenticity of gesture and its capacity to convey truth. Johnson views these works as an opportunity to express a form of genuine, unmediated truth, making the "Cosmic Slop" series a profound statement on the possibilities of painting as a medium for personal and artistic exploration (The Museum of Modern Art).
Johnson's use of non-traditional materials like black soap and wax in creating these works speaks to his broader interest in culturally loaded objects and materials. His practice often engages with themes of identity, history, and the black experience, employing materials that carry specific cultural and personal significance. The "Cosmic Slop" series, therefore, not only revisits the act of painting in Johnson's oeuvre but also continues his exploration of the intersections between materiality, identity, and artistic expression (Ocula Art) (David Kordansky Gallery).
Through the "Cosmic Slop" series, Rashid Johnson invites viewers to consider the role of material and gesture in the creation of meaning within art. These works stand as a testament to his innovative approach to contemporary painting, challenging traditional boundaries and expectations through a deeply personal and reflective practice.