The self-taught sculptor William Edmondson (c. 1874–1951) learned his craft in Tennessee by carving tombstones from discarded limestone; humble beginnings for an artist who would go on, in 1937, to become the first Black artist given a solo exhibition at MoMA. This exhibition at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia (25 June–10 September) reveals both the breadth of the artist’s practice and the challenges he faced. ‘A Monumental Vision’ features more than 60 limestone sculptures depicting subjects ranging from rabbits and lions to Eleanor Roosevelt, while highlighting how media coverage of his work often played into racist stereotypes about the Southern Black experience. Find out more on the Barnes Foundation’s website.
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Reclining Man (date unknown), William Edmondson. Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, Nashville. Photo: © Eric Wheeler
Untitled (Boxer) (1936), William Edmondson. Courtesy the Museum of Everything, London
Squirrel (c. 1932–41), William Edmondson. Philadelphia Museum of Art
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