A technique-focused study of Hodges’ recent paintings, where soft brushstrokes against black ground contribute to his subtle approach to the figure in space

Compton-born, Maine-based painter Reggie Burrows Hodges (born 1965) originally studied film and performance art, and thus brings a sense of dramatic staging to his compositions. Beginning with a black ground, Hodges builds his scenes through loose brushwork―a technique which deliberately plays with perceptions by reducing the focus on the human figure. As Hodges says, “I’m painting an environment in which the figures emerge from negative space.” By focusing on the environment where the figures are situated rather than the figures themselves, Hodges explores questions of identity, community and memory. Published on the occasion of the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in Europe, Mela features over 30 new works inspired by his relocation to Malta.