The imposing busts of Rashid Johnson’s Stacked Heads, balanced one atop the other, are constructed out of bronze coated in a glossy black patina. The sculpture’s surface is textured with incised marks, reminiscent of Johnson’s distinctive, sometimes violent manipulation of softer and more malleable materials such as shea butter, black soap, and wax.

During the growing season, grasses and ferns native to Storm King’s ecosystem spring from cracks and crevasses like abstracted facial features and leafy, green hair. Johnson frequently uses plants in his work as a way of instilling viewers with feelings of empathy, saying “I always thought it was interesting to make something that people had to take care of.”

Photos: Jeffrey Jenkins courtesy of Storm King Art Center