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.