The Middle Passage Project
“I took the photos in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal to support my written notes when I would later sit down (or stand up) to write. And when I saw the pictures, I realized that they tell a story, a very personal story that explores the problem of memory in a way that I had neither anticipated nor expected. I want to share that story through the collection of photographs and had lettered captions that I now call African Odyssey.”
Elder Johnson gained international recognition as one of Virginia’s most prominent folk artists, famous for his portraits of big eyed women, cats, U.S. Presidents, and figures from the Bible. The self taught visionary was also known for his portraits of angels, which abounded in his work.