Photo by Joe Ridley/Beth Martin on Unsplash
Edge Alley, a new Memphis hot spot, is transforming its dining space to house a photography gallery produced by Houston Cofield. His photographs, some of which you might recognize from a recent Edge Alley feature by edible MEMPHIS, will be displayed around the restaurant to bring attention to shots that Cofield says “might not typically be seen in other public spaces around Memphis.”
Cofield comes from a long line of photographers, belonging to a family that has a deep history and relationship to photography. His grandfather and great-grandfather both worked out of a studio they owned in Oxford, Mississippi, where they focused on portrait photography. They photographed William Faulkner, documented the town of Oxford, and worked for the University of Mississippi as staff photographers.
From being exposed to photography at an early age, Cofield soon realized its power to institute meaning into a community. “Growing up, I was always aware of picture making and cameras,” says Cofield. “I first picked up a camera in high school when I began working for the school newspaper. I didn’t begin to take photography seriously until late in college when I began working in the darkroom and shooting 35mm black and white film. From there, I began to understand that photography has the capability to go beyond documentation and be a powerful way to make art and create narrative.”
Having returned from an assignment near Hot Springs, Montana, Cofield had a portfolio of photographs ready to put on display. A native Memphian with his MFA in photography from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a B.A. in journalism from the University of Mississippi, he jumped at an opportunity to help out a friend and make his work accessible to the Memphis community.
Cofield met Edge Alley owners Tim and Lena Barker a few years ago when Tim approached him about being in a photography show he was planning to host at his soon-to-be restaurant. At the time, Edge Alley was completely vacant, and Tim was hoping to bring awareness to the space. The friendship began with their mutual love for photography and has grown since then.
Not unlike Cofield’s early interest in photography, Barker started shooting with a disposable camera at a young age. By 16, he was shooting assignments for three local newspapers as well as the junior and high schools in his hometown of Martin, Tennessee. With the intention of pursuing a career in photography and the visual arts, Barker enrolled in Murray State University's fine art photography program. It wasn’t until he divided his time between the university darkroom and a restaurant job that he discovered his passion and talent for cooking. Barker affirms that art can inspire food, and vice versa, particularly through composition. “Whether discussing plating or framing, very often, how a dish will appear on camera plays a part in how it is prepared, plated, and presented,” says Barker.
Barker’s passion for photography is made clear through the restaurant’s social media strategy, Instagram in particular. “We take Instagram pretty seriously, recognizing early on that it is the most visually driven of all of the social platforms,” says Barker. “Our food is approachable and simple, but we plate each dish as if it is being styled for a photo shoot. Food is the most photographed subject in the world, and we want our guests to help show ours off.”
Expanding their use of photography beyond social media inspired Barker to welcome the physical art in the dining space. He views art and food as inextricably connected, and designed and lit the restaurant with the intention of showcasing contemporary artists' work as part of the larger design concept.
When asked about the motivation in taking on the project, Cofield divulges that he wanted to create a space to “cultivate a photographic community and conversation locally.” Barker, too, hopes the space will be an arena for discovery, a place for guests to “find interest in new things, or to view old things in a new light.” Being that photography is a large and under-appreciated part of Memphis’ identity, Cofield is looking to change the way the local community views its art. “I hope the pictures I make can speak a universal language,” he says. “Hopefully they’re honest enough to allow people to connect with them in some meaningful way,” says Cofield.
Having had his work displayed all over the country, Cofield believes having his photos displayed at a restaurant with an active clientele and prominent location will only help get his work in the public eye. Although exposure plays a key function in the gallery, Cofield is also hopeful that the new gallery space will provide an opportunity for photographers near and far to showcase their work. He maintains that the space has potential to develop the photo culture that exists in Memphis. “Memphis actually has a history steeped in some of the best photography ever produced," says Cofield. "You think of Bill Eggleston, Ernest Withers, and even more contemporary photographers making work today like Tommy Kha, D’Angelo Williams, and Haley Morris-Cafiero. Memphis has an incredible photographic history. It deserves to be recognized and cultivated.”
Barker’s goal is to use the coalescence of art and food as an opportunity to transform the customer experience. “Contemporary photography has a unique ability to challenge the way we view and consider artistic expression," he says. "I look forward to seeing how guests respond to the gallery.”
The new gallery will provide a glimpse of both contemporary work and private collections. Its inaugural show will exhibit a private collection of early NASA photographs and composites of the moon. Subsequent showcases will feature local and regional contemporary works, including material from Cofield.
