MUST RUN 4-20

DILLON GALLERY CEDRIC SMITH THRU MAY 5

ak/lsb #695823

NEW YORK CITY — Dillon Gallery is showing Cedric Smith’s inaugural exhibition of photography, which will be on view through May 5. It includes his recent series titled “Playing God,” which is comprised of 16 photographs, as well as a selection of individual works that were taken by the artist throughout late 2006 and early 2007.

The artist’s collection of vintage photographs provides the foreground for the topic he is documenting, that of the disappearing black culture of the South. With the placement of vintage portraits in various contemporary settings chosen by the artist, each snapshot represents a direct dialogue with those from the past, providing an enduring narrative that continues into this century.

Smith’s concept behind the addition of the vintage photographs is of ongoing interest, as he attempts to extrapolate how the subject’s life could have been altered by a different set of circumstances, a subject of sociopolitical interest he continues to approach.

Smith is self-taught in the medium of photography, is of African American descent, and lives and works in Savannah, Ga.

Dillon gallery is at 555 West 25th Street. For information, www.dillongallery.com or 212-7278585.