REVIEW: Ray Johnson c/o at The Art Institute
Oedipus (Elvis Presley #1), 1956–58
Ray Johnson. Promised gift of The William S. Wilson Collection of Ray Johnson
REVIEW Ray Johnson c/o
Nov 26 - Mar 21, 2022
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60603
By Alexandria Knapik
Content Warning: suicide
Ray Johnson c/o is a major exhibition featuring more than thousand pieces, with over one hundred collages alone, spanning at least 6 rooms in the Art Institute of Chicago. Johnson, commonly referred to as the “most unknown artist in New York,” was a trailblazer for mail art in the 1960’s. Because Ray Johnson’s work took place contemporaneously with the Pop and Fluxus art movements, his work displays a particular sense of humor that may be reminiscent of artists like Yoko Ono and Andy Warhol – with nods to the Queer community. Although only touched upon in the exhibition, Johnson’s suicide in 1995 was loosely accepted as his “last performance piece.”
Collages, binders, boxes, books and other paper pieces take over the gallery space. Ray Johnson c/o is a pleasant exhibition to peruse in person. Still, many of the pieces appear digitally on the museum’s website, where the details of the pieces can be seen a little better through a laptop screen. Expect to stay in this exhibition a long time as there is plenty of content to read and dive into. You might find yourself having to create your own roadmap, since the physical layout is not particularly helpful in guiding visitors from room to room.
Johnson’s friend, Bill Wilson, is a notable character featured in the exhibition and it’s easy to imagine that much of the artwork on display was made possible because of him. Credit is certainly given where it is due on this front. Straight through the entrance to the gallery and all the way in the back there are a number of packages placed on the table. At this point in the exhibition, one might muster the energy and inspiration to turn left or right, or sit and read the catalog to search for the special something that speaks to you – if you don’t, this exhibition is just a stack of paper. Johnson and his network are hilarious, talented, and definitely worth attention.
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