This exhibition includes existing works alongside a newly created suite of paintings. Points of inspiration in this body of work include the biblical stories of Exodus, the science-fiction mythology of jazz musician Sun Ra, the exploration of terrestrial continents both real and imagined, and the impending effects of climate change upon our planet’s most vulnerable geographies.
For the past decade, Richmond-Edwards’ work has often highlighted the people and culture of her hometown, Detroit. They reflect on her own life while exploring broader social and environmental issues. Most recently, her wide-ranging research interests — which span religion, history, mythology, and ancestry – have informed monumental paintings that offer complex narratives addressing humanity’s shared histories while also exploring social constructions of race, class, and nationalism.
The exhibition’s title is borrowed from the 17th-century dystopian literary work of the same name, “Mundus alter et idem,” an imaginary account of a voyage to the oceans south of Africa written by Joseph Hall (1574–1656) as a satirical indictment of the power structures of early modern British culture.
Exhibition curator Alexander Jarman said, “This exhibition will mark an important evolution in the artist’s practice. While Richmond-Edwards has created large-scale paintings previously, this is the first time a new body of work will coalesce around a central narrative of the artist’s own invention.”
Richmond-Edwards adds, “I am excited to present this new body of work and the story it tells, which I am thinking of as an epic. It’s about a young guy named Iceberg who is leading his family to Antarctica. It’s a whole narrative. At a time when it feels like our climate is disintegrating and our politics are creating deeper divisions, I can build a new vision for the world in this exhibition. I believe that humanity’s future rests not only in the hands of politicians or scientists, but also in the ability of artists to imagine alternate futures. We are all an integral part of finding solutions for the uncertain times ahead and I hope these new works energize and inspire viewers.”
About the Artist
Jamea Richmond-Edwards (b. 1982, Detroit) earned a BA from Jackson State University (2004) and an M.F.A. from Howard University (2012). Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, California African American Museum (Los Angeles), Charles Wright Museum (Detroit), Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington), Frist Art Museum (Nashville), Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Phillips Collection (Washington, DC). She is a 2018 recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, and her works are included in the Rubell Family Collection, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies program.
Exhibition Programming
Friday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m., via Facebook Live, the artist will offer a virtual walkthrough of the exhibition with Alexander Jarman, assistant curator of exhibitions and academic outreach.
Saturday, Sept. 13, 3 p.m.
The artist and members of the Delusions of Grandeur collective will be in conversation with Jarman.
Saturday, Sept. 13, 4 to 6 p.m.
Join the artist for an opening reception for the exhibition.
EXODUS, A Group Exhibition
Also opening at the Wellin Museum is EXODUS, the work of seven artists – Ron “Akili” Anderson, Wesley Clark, Larry W. Cook, Shaunté Gates, Hubert Massey, Stan Squirewell, and Felandus Thames – whose mentorship, inspiration, and support profoundly shaped the creative journey of Jamea Richmond-Edwards.
The exhibition is titled EXODUS to acknowledge the uncertain path to becoming a professional artist and the community of peers and teachers who helped her navigate the road through shared wisdom and solidarity. EXODUS was curated by Richmond-Edwards.
Posted September 9, 2025
