A Friend Named Cousin

The exhibition is on view at 291 Grand St., New York, NY, until November 9.

Americana 04, 2025. Adrian Armstrong.

Presented by Joe Freshgoods and curated by Cierra Britton, A Friend Named Cousin challenges what family truly means in New York City. With endless industries and communities, family can often be defined as people with whom we make things happen, overcome obstacles, and make the city a better place. This exhibition transcends what family means beyond biological bloodlines and how chosen family shapes who we are individually and as a community.

A Friend Named Cousin features works by Devin Allen, Adrian Armstrong, Satchel Lee, Emily Manwaring, Esmaa Mohamoud, Ambrose Rhapsody Murray, and Joseph Robinson. Through paintings, photographs, illustrations, multimedia, and sculptures, these multi-hyphenate artists tear down the notion of traditional family and embrace that chosen family can look, feel, and function differently for everyone.

As you walk into the space, you feel a sense of unspoken familiarity—a kind of warmth that feels like walking into the living room of your childhood home—a nostalgia that you can’t quite pinpoint, but it feels intentional. A Friend Named Cousin feels unapologetically Black. The artists merge each other’s worlds, cultures, traditions, and passions. While their works may be separated throughout the gallery space, there is a unification present that conveys universal Black experiences.

Joe Freshgoods is a designer and creative director from the west side of Chicago. He’s acclaimed for his elevated streetwear and community-centered collaborations with New Balance, Converse, and many others. Britton owns her self-titled gallery in New York City, which centers BIPOC+ women artists who spark cultural dialogue worldwide.

A Friend Named Cousin is on view at 291 Grand St., New York, NY, until November 9.