We asked each artist in Cohort 3 a series of questions about how they navigate the world and express themselves through their practice. Here’s what Joseph had to say:

Good: When did you first realize that making art was essential to how you move through the world?
Joseph: I first realized that art was essential to how I moved through the world in elementary school. Growing up quiet and timid, art gave me a voice and a sense of visibility when I struggled to connect with classmates.

Good:What parts of yourself do you feel most seen in through your work?

Joseph: I'm really drawn to rough edges and the authenticity of wear and tear. Those sensibilities show up in my work through several layers of washes and sometimes the overworked nature of the surface area. It reveals a history and textures that feel honest.

Good: How has your understanding of your identity shaped the way you create?
Joseph: The vibrant nature of Nigerian culture I grew up in deeply influences the sounds, colors, and imagery in my work. It’s bright, bold, and visually stimulating, but as a young African living in the U.S., telling stories of the Black diaspora, I often find myself pairing parts of me that feel familiar with parts I’m still discovering. That tension leaves space for experimentation, chance encounters, and unexpected connections.

Good: What story do you think your younger self needed to see in art—and are you telling that story now?
Joseph: I think my younger self needed to see more Peter Pan stories in the art world: boys that just want to fly all day, be a little improper, and go against convention. I feel like I'm on the right path to making those kinds of stories.

Good: How do you navigate the tension between visibility and vulnerability in your work?
Joseph: I navigate the tension between visibility and vulnerability by quieting the ego and listening to the painting, trusting my intuition to bring out truths that I may not have confronted yet. Some parts of me stand proud in the forefront, fully exposed, while other parts may stay in the shadows until they are ready to be seen. What is important is always staying in conversation with yourself.

Good: What is a misconception people have about your practice—or you—that your art helps correct?
Joseph: I think in person I come off as pretty scatterbrained and easily distracted, like I'm floating between ideas or always mid-thought, but I end up making work often filled with meticulous elements that require deep focus and stillness.

Good: How do your surroundings—physical, cultural, emotional—show up in your work?
Joseph: I collect moments—taking photos on nights out with friends, recording sounds of the street, and noticing the overlooked. Spray paint on the sidewalk left by construction workers, a discarded piece of furniture in front of a weathered wall—these everyday compositions are enough to spark a whole body of work. It becomes a kind of conversation between me and my environment.

Good: If this chapter of your life had a title, what would it be—and how is that reflected in your current work?
Joseph: The title of this chapter of my life would be “Wolfing”, a term in Black culture that refers to the phase in a wave journey when you grow out your hair to strengthen the curl pattern. Brushing and building discipline, for me, mirrors the process I'm in now—refining my visual language while also taking steps toward becoming the person I want to be outside the expectations of traditional West African patriarchal norms. A time for growth, layering, and patience.

Good: What truth have you been circling in your work but haven’t said out loud yet?
Joseph: That we are all inherently connected through time, and it’s in leaning into that connection that we truly find ourselves and evolve.

Good: If you had to strip everything back—materials, audience, career—what would remain at the center of your practice?
Joseph: If I had to strip everything back, I think the essence of the playground would remain at the center of my practice—the joy, curiosity, and inventiveness that first came from the sandbox.

About Joseph:

Joseph Edgar (b. 2001 Lagos, Nigeria) is a self described image maker based in Queens, New York, whose work explores the intersection of play and introspection. Working across painting, photography, drawing , video, printmaking and installation, their dynamic practice results in an energetic concoction of mark making and figuration. He is Inspired by the multidimensional diasporic experience and the intricacies of personhood, exploring culture and its malleability. He earned his BFA in Painting from The Savannah College of Art and Design (2023).