Installation view Rindon Johnson Best Synthetic Answer, Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai (2024 – 2025), Photo: Cra. © Rockbund Art Museum
Rindon Johnson’s first solo exhibition Best Synthetic Answer at the Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) in Shanghai opens with a question written in wavy letters on the floor: “How does a Black American, raised on the edges of the Pacific, move through the ocean to reach Shanghai?” Johnson’s answer: by swimming. This idea forms the foundation of a captivating video installation, where the artist’s digital avatar swims from San Francisco to Shanghai, surrounded by AI-generated seascapes informed by real-time data from the Pacific Ocean. The exhibition integrates diverse media such as video, stained glass, and luminous plants to explore themes of identity, Indigenous and ecological autonomy, and environmental awareness. From a deeply personal perspective, Johnson examines the dynamics of imperialism, power, and capital, intertwining them with the ever-shifting nature of the ocean.
Rindon Johnson
Best Synthetic Answer
Rockbund Art Museum (RAM), Shanghai, China
21 September 2024 – 6 April 2025
