27 Sep A race of angels
Source Credit: Content and images from Wall Street International Magazine by . Read the original article - https://www.meer.com/en/83279-a-race-of-angels
Paradigm Gallery + Studio proudly presents A race of
angels, a solo exhibition showcasing the mixed media artistry of conceptual photographer Shawn
Theodore. This exhibition marks Theodore’s second solo show with Paradigm, where he boldly explores
new dimensions beyond traditional photographic forms. Through his AfromythologyTM series, Theodore
crafts a visually compelling narrative that invites fresh perspectives on the divine connections within the
family, their ancestors, and the cherished images they leave behind.
In A race of
angels, Theodore delves into the specific experiences of African American families,
capturing a longing for lost photographs, missing heirlooms, and vanished archives. Using a blend of
traditional portraiture, found photographs, paint, paper, pencils, and digital manipulation, Theodore
creates archetypes representing hypothetical family members, spiritual guardians, and ancestors. These
boldly crafted archetypes inhabit an imagined macro-family album, offering a unique perspective on
portraiture, connection, and community. Theodore’s work aims to deepen spiritual connections and
encourage personal introspection.
Theodore’s process begins with examining vintage portraits from the 1940s to the early 1970s, coinciding
with the Great Migration. These photos capture the crucial moments in time that preserved people,
places, and objects as cultural artifacts and vessels of nostalgic elements ubiquitous within Black
America. Concurrently in history, Black people were increasingly taking control of their narratives,
decolonizing the lens behind the camera to craft a collective identity during the post-Jim Crow era.
Shawn Theodore’s photographic practice has always been rooted in single-person portraiture. However,
his creative vision transcends the individual, delving into the reimagining of historical narratives within
Black communities. Theodore finds profound inspiration in everyday objects like church fans, family photo
albums, or wooden chess sets, seeing them as symbols of cultural and spiritual significance.
Using collages, both traditional and digital, Theodore crafts layers and intersections of imagined familial
ties, traditions, friendships, secrets, and rituals that bind them, something akin to the stories of long-lost
relatives one might encounter in faded, blurry photographs. For Theodore, photography is a fleeting
moment, while collage allows for a deeper, more introspective exploration. By integrating collage into his
practice, Theodore takes ownership of the narrative, imbuing his work with personal resonance. Theodore
abstracts his portraits, layering them with paper, colored pencils, and meticulous hand embellishments.
This technique transforms his subjects into textured, almost celestial beings, evoking a sense of
otherworldly presence.
Paradigm Gallery is honored to present this reimagination of Black figuration through reclaimed
photographs and Theodore’s artistic expression in the heart of his familial roots in Philadelphia. His critical
approach to examining historical narratives aligns with Paradigm’s commitment to exhibiting meaningful
and process-intensive work.
Shawn Theodore (b. 1970) was born in Germany to American parents from Philadelphia, and currently
lives and works in Philadelphia. Theodore was awarded the prestigious PDN’s 30 New amd Emerging
Photographers to Watch (2019), the Getty Images / Array Where we stand grant, and a grant from the
Knight Foundation for A dream deferred. Theodore was a two-time nominee for the Pew Center for Arts
and Heritage Fellowship and a nominee for the Magnum Foundation Fund. He is an Associate Adjunct
Professor at the University of the Arts, a trustee of The Print Center, a trustee of the Rush Philanthropic
Arts Foundation, and a former trustee of the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.
Theodore was announced as a two-time nominee of The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage Fellowship and a
nominee of the Magnum Foundation Fund in 2018. In the following years 2019 and 2020, he was
awarded the PDN’s 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch and AI-AP American Photography 35.
He has had several solo exhibitions and is included in several group exhibitions. His work is held in the
permanent collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia; the collection of the Philadelphia
Library, Drexel University’s Center for Black Culture, the Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando; the
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Walker
Center, Minneapolis; the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington D.C.; the
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas; and the Legacy Museum, Montgomery, among others.
About Paradigm Gallery + Studio.
Source Credit: Content and images from Wall Street International Magazine by . Read the original article - https://www.meer.com/en/83279-a-race-of-angels