WISH THIS WAS REAL

C/O Berlin presents Mitchell’s first solo exhibition in Germany, covering almost ten years of his artistic practice through the New Black Vanguard, which American writer Antwaun Sargent describes as the proliferation of artistic material and images by Black photographers working in both the art and fashion worlds, contributing to a new vision of minorities and reshaping their representation. Structured into three thematic sections that follow different motifs and showcase his latest works printed on fabric and various mirrors, the exhibition encompasses Mitchell’s diverse explorations on themes of portraiture, nature, and social memory. In Lives/Liberties, Mitchell’s early influences and his immersion in skateboarding culture are reflected in images that pursue the dream of carefree living, community sense, and self-expression amidst the disorders of society, including an early video, Wish This Was Real (2015), a reflection on innocence and the political unrest in the United States. In Postcolonial/Pastoral, the paradise imagined by the Atlanta photographer is characterized by the complexities of social identity: Mitchell stages elaborate scenes in Georgia and rural New York and invites contemplation through landscapes with vibrant colors and rich symbolic references. Family/Fraternity celebrates the brotherhood and resilience of Black communities through intimate family portraits and still lifes, transforming the domestic environment into a sanctuary. At the heart of the exhibition is the display Altars/Acres, featuring mixed media photographs and sculptures by artists whose work resonates deeply with his creative lineage, such as Garrett Bradley, Rashid Johnson, Baldwin Lee, Gordon Parks, Grace Wales Bonner, and Carrie Mae Weems. This intergenerational dialogue places Mitchell’s photography within a broad spectrum of cultural experimentation and expression.