“The Hair Appointment,” by Jeremy Rodney-Corridor, 2018 (All photographs courtesy of Sunday College)
At 24 years previous, Josef Adamu was an aspiring mannequin struggling to realize traction in his profession. Then he had an concept: if he wished to discover a path ahead in his business, he ought to carve one out for himself. Adamu initially wished to start out a modelling company, however discovered the idea too restrictive. As a substitute, whereas figuring out of his mom’s basement in Toronto, he conceived of Sunday College, a inventive model company that will work with corporations on visually putting tasks. His company’s providers embody company marketing campaign artwork course, social media advertising and marketing, pictures and videography, with a robust deal with tales and topics from the African diaspora.
At first, Adamu wished to manage each shoot and challenge himself. “I didn’t go away a lot inventive respiratory room for folks working with me,” he says. Because the company’s solely everlasting member, he primarily labored with freelancers, whom he employed on a project-by-project foundation. Over time, as he constructed up a world community of photographers, cinematographers, stylists and make-up artists, he realized to embrace bona fide inventive collaboration.
“The folks behind the scenes are a part of my tradition,” he says. “As a result of the work is coming from our group, it’s straightforward to be intentional with each element.” Quickly, main manufacturers seen one thing particular about Sunday College: the company has labored on campaigns for Nike, Converse, Topshop and Sony, and celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o have acknowledged its work.
Sunday College’s first main Toronto exhibition, Feels Like Residence, debuts on the Artwork Gallery of Ontario in Might. The exhibit, which is able to run for a yr and showcases the collaborative efforts of at the least 40 folks, options work from three tasks.
The Hair Appointment seems to be on the apply and ritual of pure hair braiding, exploring salons as group areas. Ten Toes Down depicts a Black ballerina who has lastly discovered pointe sneakers and tights that match her pores and skin tone—a meditation on id, illustration and belonging. And Bounce Ball, a five-part sequence, is in regards to the intersection of basketball and the African diaspora. “These three pillars are methods for us to inform tales round what it means to really feel at dwelling, far past a spot the place you relaxation your head,” says Adamu. It’s additionally a literal homecoming for Adamu, born and raised in Toronto, who has been working in New York for the previous few years.
The exhibition reveals the fruits of Adamu’s transformation as a inventive director: after relinquishing a few of his management, he’s turn into extra open to spontaneity and improvisation throughout photograph shoots. In a picture from Bounce Ball, which exhibits two Ghanaian youths sporting conventional clothes on a basketball court docket, using color is putting. Between their clothes, the basketballs and the ring, it’s a veritable spectrum of orange—a cheerful accident, it seems, and the kind of inventive coincidence that Sunday College has come to embrace. “I dropped my ego,” Adamu says, “and there’s actual energy in that.”
“Ten Toes Down,” by Kreshonna Keane, 2021
For a lot of her dance profession, this younger ballerina from Philadelphia had to make use of tights and pointe sneakers that have been too mild for her pores and skin tone. She would “pancake” the clothes, making use of make-up to them to match her complexion. For this photograph shoot, Sunday College partnered with Freed of London, a British firm that was one of many first to supply shade-inclusive ballet put on. The challenge’s identify has a double which means, referencing each the place of the dancer’s ft and a message to deal with what you like to do.
“Bounce Ball: Toronto,” by O’shane Howard, 2019
Bounce Ball is a five-part sequence in regards to the cultural intersection between basketball and African custom. Photographed on a basketball court docket in St. James City, Toronto, this picture is from the sequence’ first iteration. It depicts two Ghanaian youths sporting conventional clothes that they’d usually put on to a household operate or big day. Adamu met the pair via mates, and he’s enthusiastic about the best way members of the African diaspora shed or don conventional apparel—and in flip, elements of their id—to regulate to their surroundings.
“Bounce Ball: Mighty Migration,” by Joshua Kissi, 2020
The Gabriel household, photographed of their Manchester, New Hampshire, lounge, escaped the civil conflict in South Sudan for the US within the ’90s. A number of youngsters within the household are basketball stars, together with Wenyen (not pictured), who performs for the Los Angeles Lakers; Piath, the younger lady holding a basketball, is the following prospect to go professional. The home is stuffed with basketball jerseys and trophies, and the lounge is the location of a household custom: gathering in entrance of the TV on NBA draft night time and ready for a member of the family’s identify to be referred to as.
“Bounce Ball: Mighty Migration,” by Joshua Kissi, 2020
This younger man is an in depth pal of the Gabriel household, who’re the principle focus of the sequence. This shot was taken on a New Hampshire basketball court docket throughout an off-the-cuff weekend sport. Adamu selected this topic partially for his massive fingers—posed on the bottom together with his fingers over the ball, wanting useless centre into the digital camera, he suggests the power and empowerment imparted by the sport. On his left wrist, he wears a bracelet depicting the South Sudanese flag.
“The Hair Appointment,” by Jeremy Rodney-Corridor, 2018
An intimate picture of an auntie and her niece throughout their Sunday night time hair-braiding routine. They’re actual relations, and Adamu met the girl via a casting name for an early challenge. She linked Adamu to her aunt’s hair salon, which grew to become the inspiration for The Hair Appointment sequence. The kid mimics her aunt’s actions on the doll’s hair, depicting how this information is handed from era to era. Adamu deliberately centred his topics between two image frames on both aspect of the mounted mirror, and stored the colors muted to drag focus in the direction of them.
“The Hair Appointment,” by Jeremy Rodney-Corridor, 2018
On this picture, choreographed by Sunday College, somewhat lady leans on her sister, each sporting completely coiffed braids and posed in entrance of their Brooklyn house constructing. The ladies are sisters (although these aren’t their actual college uniforms), and the picture is all about their kinship. The older youngster retains her fist loosely clenched and her expression stoic, as if she’s defending her sleepy little sibling. One youngster wears excessive white socks, whereas the opposite is bare-legged—an intentional element meant to spotlight their contrasting personalities.
“The Hair Appointment,” by Jeremy Rodney-Corridor, 2018
This installment in Sunday College’s sequence options pure hair braiding, which takes place in salons and dwelling rooms—areas which have lengthy been group hubs throughout the African diaspora. The picture, taken in Alima’s Hair Braiding Salon in Brooklyn, recreates the second earlier than a shopper leaves the appointment, through which a stylist will typically doc their work with a closing shot in opposition to the salon wall.
Feels Like House is on show on the Artwork Gallery of Ontario till Might 2024.
