Rashad Ali Muhammad, an artist here at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, celebrates an exciting win: his design has been chosen for Boyd Cru Wine’s Freedom of Expression wine label contest! The competition, sponsored by Shanklin Hall and Boyd Cru, a Black-owned wine company based in Maryland (where Rashad also has family roots), focuses on the connection between wine and self-expression. Like art, wine tells a unique story, and this collaboration celebrates the diversity and individuality of those stories through visual artistry.
Rashad’s winning piece is titled “Liberated Embers.” It features a dancer mid-leap or turning, with pointed toes and arms elegantly extended. The dancer wears a fiery flamenco-like dress and moves gracefully against an energetic, abstract background—embodying freedom from the surrounding chaos. Rashad shares that he drew inspiration from studying dancers, aiming to capture the fluidity and emotion of movement. This piece, rendered with materials like silk flower petals, twine, scrap envelopes and other papers on an 18 x 24-inch sized paper, showcases the beauty of Black identity and resonates with themes of celebration and spirituality prevalent in his work.
As a queer, gender-nonconforming artist of the African diaspora, Rashad explores the intersections of culture, ethnicity, spirituality, and identity in his practice. His works—created using analog and digital collage, assemblage, and design—are captivating reflections of the human experience. Inspired by his formal training in graphic design and photography from American University, Rashad’s pieces are celebrated for their clarity, refinement, and emotional resonance.
When asked about the impact of this project on his practice, Rashad shared, “This project was a great blend of my artistic flair and graphic design background. It was fun taking time to consider both the product and the audience of the company making it.” Working within these constraints added a new dimension to his artmaking, allowing him to balance his creative vision with the commercial appeal necessary for a product label.
From the Shadows to the Light, 2024. Mixed media collage (original photography, various papers, fabric, reclaimed jewelry, faux flower petals, metallic paint, and glitter glue) on canvas. 30 x 40 inches.
Since joining the Torpedo Factory Art Center in 2022, Rashad’s artistic practice has evolved. Recently, he’s been drawn to shadow work, adding new layers of introspection and spirituality to his art. This shift continues to enrich his storytelling, bringing spontaneous, nonintentional spiritual elements to his pieces. Plus, Rashad’s experimentation with fashion and jewelry design has him galvanized to release a commercial fashion line one day. When asked about recreating the dancer’s dress from “Liberated Embers” as a real-life garment, he laughs and says he’s been asked that many times, and admits he’s open to it in the future when he can fully dedicate himself to such an intricate project.
Rashad has a busy season ahead—catch him at Collecting Community: Millennium Art Salon at 25 at IA&A Hillyer (Nov 2 – Dec 29); National Collage Society’s 40th National Juried Exhibition at MICA’s Meyerhoff Gallery (Nov 8 – Dec 15); A Sign of the Times at DC Art Center as part of their yearlong fellowship Sparkplug Art Collective (Nov 15 – Dec 15); Umbrella Art Fair as part of Cultural DC’s Torrents section (Nov 15-17), Intersections, a duo exhibition with Jordann Wine at the Strathmore (Nov 23 – Jan 11); and the reveal part for the wine label contest at Shanklin Hall (Dec 12).
Visit Rashad at studio 222 here at the Torpedo Factory Art Center to see more of his art in person and in progress!