Solo Show: ‘Blueprint’ by Benita Mayo

All About Photo is honored to feature Blueprint by Benita Mayo as the winner of the October 2025 Solo Exhibition, selected by curator Aline Smithson.

Mayo’s work is an intimate exploration of memory’s fragility, the inheritance of family history, and the lingering effects of collective trauma. The project was sparked by the unexpected passing of her father in 2020, an event that transformed her view of memory and initiated a search for meaning in the stories passed down through generations.

Set against Virginia’s complex history—a birthplace tied to slavery, the Civil War, and the long fight for civil rights—Blueprint blends personal and national narratives. Through both photographs and words, Mayo recalls the silence, grief, and fear of her youth, while also honoring the perseverance and love that carried her family forward.

Inspired by Toni Morrison’s urging to “remember and do better,” the series transforms silence into testimony. It functions as both tribute and healing, bearing witness to sorrow while affirming resilience.

Blueprint can be viewed in the Solo Exhibition section of All About Photo during October 2025.