In an exciting development for the art world, the Nina Johnson Gallery is set to host “TOGETHER APART,” a captivating solo exhibition by the Detroit-based artist Jonathan Rajewski. Scheduled to open on Thursday, May 23rd, in the gallery’s Front Gallery space, the exhibition presents an intriguing collection of new and existing works including paintings, artist books, and staple collages.
Rajewski, born in Bismarck, North Dakota, and raised in Midland, Michigan—a small town with a history deeply intertwined with industrial and military manufacturing—explores a dialogue with this past through his art. “TOGETHER APART” showcases Rajewski’s innovative use of assemblage to blur the boundaries between the visual, verbal, and material realms. His work is recognized for its engagement with historical context, reshaping social norms and conventional power dynamics into open-ended processes and creative possibilities.
The exhibition is distinguished by its assembly of unexpected diptychs, where the autonomy of individual canvases is intriguingly challenged. Rajewski employs found images and ephemera, painting over and through them to create complex layers of meaning. This technique speaks volumes of his playful, provisional, and improvisational approach to art. Furthermore, his artist books are reconceived as interactive, unbounded canvases, offering visitors a unique tactile experience.
Among the highlights of “TOGETHER APART” are Rajewski’s Book Paintings, a series that mixes cut-up paintings with various materials such as travel drawings, xeroxes, and even unconventional items like black pepper and nail polish. Created with a diverse range of fabrics, from canvas to theatrical costume, these works emphasize the interactive and tactile aspects of Rajewski’s art, inviting viewers to engage directly with the pieces.
“I am trying to make something that I don’t really understand,” Rajewski has stated, underlining his fascination with indeterminacy and the exploratory nature of his creative process. He compares painting to taking a walk—a form of thinking and doing that traverses psychological space in a manner that is fantasizing, disconnecting, overwriting, and ultimately, unknowable.
In addition to his art, Rajewski is noted for his commitment to social change. In 2013, he co-founded the Hamtramck Free School, a creative educational initiative in Michigan prisons, and in 2022, established Entry Points, an artist residency for returning citizens. His accolades include a 2015 Kresge Fellowship in Visual Art and a 2024 Creative Capital Award.
“TOGETHER APART” will be available for viewing at the Nina Johnson Gallery until July 13th, providing a rare opportunity for art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in Jonathan Rajewski’s profound and exploratory work.
