Vanta Black

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In Chire Regan’s diary, we see the names of gun violence victims carefully handwritten, each name recorded with honorific details that enshrine the individual on every line on every page. This journal prefigures Regans art practice which is dedicated to the creation of a living archive that honors, commemorates and celebrates the lives of those who erased from community histories. From the present to the past, we see the artist as an archivist, who ensures that no detail is forgotten.

Chire Regans (Vanta Blackwas born in Saint Louis, Missouri and lived there until her family relocated to Miami in the late 1980's. Crime was out of control in Saint Louis and Miami was viewed as a refuge of sorts by her mother. Her passion for art began soon after. After graduating from Florida A&M University, Regans began to focus primarily on drawing from life and portraiture. As societal issues began to weigh heavily on her conscience, a message took shape behind the imagery. The emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement pushed Regans' art in the direction of social awareness and change. In late February of 2016, a number of young people became victims of an ongoing epidemic of gun violence in Miami-Dade County. Driven by the need to bring awareness to this epidemic, Regans began a series of memorial portraits of victims of violence in Miami-Dade County and beyond. This series began with five portraits and now includes over 100 portraits of victims, and their stories.

Vanta Black