Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Another World and Yet the Same
September 13, 2025–June 14, 2026
Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College
The Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College presents Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Another World and Yet the Same, a large-scale survey of work by Detroit-based artist Jamea Richmond-Edwards. Highlighting her interdisciplinary practice, this exhibition features a selection of mixed-media paintings from the past seven years alongside a body of newly created work debuting at the Wellin. For over a decade, Richmond-Edwards has drawn inspiration from the communities and cultural signifiers of her hometown of Detroit, using her art to reflect on personal experiences and broader social and environmental themes. In this exhibition, the artist weaves an epic narrative following a caravan of family and friends on a fictional journey to Antarctica to build a new egalitarian society. This fantastical expedition explores the challenges of creating a utopia on a rapidly shrinking continent and examines the complexities of self-determination.
Richmond-Edwards draws inspiration from diverse sources, including the biblical stories of Exodus, the science fiction mythology of jazz musician Sun Ra, and the exploration of both real and imagined continents. Her work reflects a deep engagement with themes of migration, resilience, and the quest for a more equitable world. The exhibition’s title, borrowed from the seventeenth-century dystopian literary work about a voyage to the oceans south of Africa entitled Mundus alter et idem by Joseph Hall, underscores the artist’s exploration of the potential for societal transformation.
Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Another World and Yet the Same is curated by Alexander Jarman, Assistant Curator of Exhibitions and Academic Outreach, Ruth and Elmer Wellin of Art at Hamilton College. A fully illustrated exhibition catalogue will be published in 2026, edited by Tracy L. Adler, Johnson-Pote Director of the Wellin Museum of Art, with contributions by Alexander Jarman; Melanee C. Harvey, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Art History at Howard University; and Juana Williams, independent art curator and writer based in Detroit.
Alongside the solo exhibition, the Wellin Museum presents EXODUS, a group exhibition curated by Richmond-Edwards to honor the mentors and peers who have profoundly shaped her artistic journey. Featuring artists Akili Ron Anderson, Wesley Clark, Larry W. Cook, Shaunté Gates, Hubert Massey, Stan Squirewell, and Felandus Thames, EXODUS highlights the vital role of artistic kinship and collaboration in navigating both personal and structural challenges within the creative field.
Public programs
Friday, September 12 at 1pm (Facebook Live): Virtual artist & curator preview
Saturday, September 13: In-person panel discussion (2:30pm) followed by opening reception (4–6pm)
Monday, October 6 at 4:30pm: Hybrid “artists in conversation” lecture featuring Jamea Richmond-Edwards
About the Wellin Museum of Art
A teaching museum located on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, the Wellin Museum invites visitors to discover the arts and form unexpected connections through groundbreaking exhibitions, a globally representative collection, and innovative programming for the campus community and beyond. Artists whose work has been featured in solo exhibitions organized by the Wellin include Jeffrey Gibson, Yun-Fei Ji, Yashua Klos, Sarah Oppenheimer, Michael Rakowitz, Elias Sime, and Renée Stout, among many others. Through its exhibitions, public programs, publications, and educational outreach, the Wellin Museum sparks dialogues across disciplines, inspires experimentation, and fosters creative inquiry. Opened in 2012 under the leadership of Tracy L. Adler, the innovative facility was designed by Machado Silvetti Associates and features a 27-foot-high visible archive, a large exhibition gallery, and other amenities that foster common exchange and learning.
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