John Edmonds Explores Ancestral Connection Through Photography at Company Gallery
At Company Gallery in New York, John Edmonds presents an exhibition that delves into the influence of images and objects on cultural history, utilizing photography, film, and sculpture. Featured pieces include a self-portrait, "Between the pedestal and couch" (2026), and "serpentwithfeet in the garden" (2026). Over the past seven years, Edmonds has explored African art to link the Black human experience with the continent, using African sculptures to examine themes of body, history, and place. His work critiques the relationship between photography and truth through black-and-white images, employing touch as a metaphor. He sources sculptures from New York vendors and captures sitters from social media, addressing intimacy and spirit while celebrating the beauty and power of African sculpture.
Key facts
- John Edmonds's recent exhibition at Company Gallery combines photography, film, and ready-made sculpture.
- The show includes the works "Between the pedestal and couch" (2026) and "serpentwithfeet in the garden" (2026).
- Edmonds has spent the past seven years examining African art as a means to connect the Black human subject with Africa.
- He appropriates African sculpture to expand the relationship between body, history, and place.
- Touch is a central methodology in his photographs and films, serving as a metaphor for transmission.
- Edmonds uses black-and-white photography to critique photography's relationship to truth, while color anchors viewers in the present.
- He collects African sculptures from street vendors across New York City and mines collections such as the Museum of Art and Origins.
- His sitters are met through social media apps, street encounters, and creative community gatherings, with desire and attraction influencing his casting.
Entities
Artists
- John Edmonds
- serpentwithfeet
Institutions
- Company Gallery
- Elephant Magazine
- Museum of Art and Origins
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Africa