The Rebirth of Venus

When the artist Keith Edmier was conceiving his stunning solo show, now on view at Petzel in New York, he discovered that the gallery is located in the former Chelsea studio of the fashion photographer Michael Thompson, who has a long history with W. In fact, Thompson shot the iconic June 1999 cover, for which Cindy Crawford posed nude—and profoundly pregnant. As obsessed as he is with birth and rebirth, Edmier paid homage with this fine etching of Cindy, after the fashion of the Venus de’ Medici sculpture of ancient Athens. Rendered on age-old stone and carefully worn-looking, it’s something old made new—by way of something even older.

“Keith Edmier: Regeneratrix” is on view through June 20 at New York’s Petzel, 456 W. 18th Street.