Desireé Vaniecia: Been on My Way

On view at Conduit Gallery is “Been on My Way,’’ Dallas-based artist Desireé Vaniecia’s first solo exhibition with the gallery. In the exhibition, viewers will find 5 large canvases portraying important female figures of Vaniecia’s life, alongside a series of smaller paintings, representing personal objects related to each of these women. Together, the works in “Been on My Way’’ reflect the artist’s personal journey through life and constitute the final step of her explorations of maternal influence and the representation of the black female form in popular culture. Although specific individuals and relationships are depicted in the paintings, Vaniecia chose to render them with simplified shapes and blocks of colours, allowing the viewer to interpret the works in their own way, by bringing together the universal and the personal. The artist uses painting as a means of honouring and comforting these women, following her desire to continually push legacy and family forward for future generations.