In the last decade, Rashid Johnson has melded abstraction and figuration to create a series of individual and group portraits that he calls “Broken Men,”: faces and forms filled at once with electric and frenetic tension. He employs ceramic tiles, eclectic materials (including oyster shells, soap, and mirrors), and scrawled lines to develop dynamic surfaces that shimmer against the watchful presence of his humanoid figures. 

In “The Travelers” Broken Crowd, Johnson’s largest mural to date, he arranges sixty portraits in a grid format: some faces are obscured by sections of black wax and paint, while others are highlighted by jagged clusters of colorful tile and mirror fragments. The vibrant hum of the group reflects the energy and thrill of travel, while their direct gazes hint at the collective anxieties and concerns that connect all communities. For Johnson, abstraction can serve as a vehicle for conversation. The mural invites airport visitors to take a moment to reflect and “wander” in unexpected directions.