In 2012, visual artist rEN Dillard relocated to Atlanta from Philadelphia and told his ex-wife he had no plans to reconcile after their divorce eight years prior. Their then-teenage daughter, Deja, ended up living with her mother full time in a different city.
It would take Dillard 11 years to figure out how he wanted to express himself and how he would attempt to make up for lost time.
“Letters to Deja,” a solo art exhibition which debuted Nov. 15 at Mason Fine Art and concludes Jan. 15, is a collection of 13 portraits and collages from Dillard, featuring Black women visualized over layers of precious metals, oil, acrylic paint and magazine cutouts. He said its tone is inspired by “Here, My Dear,” Marvin Gaye’s emotive 1978 concept album about coping with his failed marriage.
“It’s a collection of visual letters that I wrote to my daughter — conversations I always wish I could’ve had, philosophies and ideologies I wish I could’ve embedded in her, earlier in life,” Dillard told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ve never been able to actually be in the same space or city with her for any real length of time, and it’s really put a strain on our relationship.”
The exhibition is a departure from Dillard’s past work, which typically features Black characters with wings, floating in the air or carrying weapons against gold and silver backdrops. He said those portrayals of Black life, showing pride, strength and evolution in the future, are a form of alchemy.
“The figures in the pieces represent burning through lower levels to get to a point of perfection or their highest self,” Dillard said.
In “Letters to Deja,” Dillard actively uses warm and bright colors with softer subjects. “All I Ask of You,” named after singer-songwriter Raphael Saadiq’s 1995 single “Ask of You,” is a portrait of his daughter embedded in silver and gold.
Credit: rEN Dillard
Credit: rEN Dillard
“Before I Let Go on the Mothership,” his tribute to late Maze frontman Frankie Beverly, features a crowd of Black people dressed in white, enjoying themselves on the dance floor.
Credit: rEN Dillard
Credit: rEN Dillard
Mark Karelson, owner of Mason Fine Art, said patrons who have visited the gallery since “Letters to Deja” opened have responded positively to the exhibition.
“This body of work reflects on the concept of family, and the relationship between fathers and daughters. People are moved by his thematic nature and the skill with which the pieces are rendered,” Karelson said.
Dillard is hosting an artist talk Jan. 11 at Mason Fine Art to discuss his artistic journey and creative process. Arturo Lindsay, art professor emeritus at Spelman College, will moderate the artist discussion, and told the AJC that Dillard’s bold visuals make his art poignant.
“His work stands out as a unique way to express the complexities of human emotions. His art helps us visualize emotions that words cannot express,” he said.
Dillard calls “Letters to Deja” his most personal collection of art. “Vulnerability is something that I haven’t really shown much in my work, so this is me putting my guts on the wall,” he said.
“I want people to walk away knowing that Black men can actually be soft, cry and create a body of work that’s dedicated to a Black woman.”
Credit: Mason Fine Art
Credit: Mason Fine Art
Born and raised in Savannah, Dillard said he originally aspired to be a singer and producer and experimented with spoken word poetry before moving to Philadelphia in 2005. He hosted his first solo collection of oil paintings, “Mysterious Lines,” at Philadelphia’s Smile Gallery in 2009.
Dillard said he became interested in experimenting with collages and using metallic colors, because it allowed him to produce work quicker. He also noticed art lovers seemed to have an affinity for collages. “The viewer is actually reflected in the work, so they participate and become part of what they’re looking at,” he said.
Dillard moved to Atlanta in 2012, after a friend with terminal cancer convinced him he would find more community support. By 2016, he’d curated his first show at South Fulton Arts Center and decided to leave a corporate job in logistics to become a full-time visual artist.
Credit: Melissa Alexander
Credit: Melissa Alexander
In September, Dillard curated “Hold the Line,” a collection at ArtsXchange in East Point, featuring work from 35 Black males spanning all ages. He said his goal as a curator is to connect like-minded creatives with similar voices.
“I want to bring people together that wouldn’t normally associate with each other,” he said.
“People put together exhibitions based on name and notoriety, but I really try to focus on concepts that people can work toward. I want my life to be dedicated to making the world more beautiful than it was when I got here.”
Dillard said “Letters to Deja” has been therapeutic. He added the exhibition will be a success if his daughter attends the artist talk, to hear how she’s the muse behind the work and open up the possibility for the father and daughter to communicate again.
“Hopefully, she can see that I’m honoring her and didn’t forget about her,” Dillard said.
IF YOU GO
Noon Saturday. Mason Fine Art, 761-D Miami Circle NE, Atlanta. 404-879-1500. MasonFineArtandEvents.com.
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