Rashid Johnson Book Lab

This special edition of the Book & Printed Matter Lab is dedicated to the exhibition ‘Rashid Johnson. Stranger’. The Lab presents a display of books from the artist’s collection: ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus, ‘Notes on a Native Son’ by James Baldwin, ‘The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual’ by Harold Cruse and ‘The Sellout’ by Paul Beatty. ‘Race, class, childhood experience, the books I found on my mother’s bookshelf, the albums I found in my father’s basement – these things are all part of who I am and will always be a part of my work.’ Rashid Johnson If you visit the gallery bathrooms, you will have the opportunity to wash with black soap; black soap is made from the ash of West African trees and plants and well known for its healing properties, it is now used as a beauty produce worldwide. You are invited to take the books from the shelf and read a little. Here, you will also find some shea butter, please take a little and experience the moisturising qualities of this much loved nut from the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa).