the longest way home

Mint Museum Uptown

DaRemen J. composes the seen and unseen in his photographic and filmmaking processes, creating visual matter that reveals subtleties and depth of character. His practice and presence exist as co-conspirators in what he describes as “method shooting,” capturing sight, sound, and sentiment that echo of emotional attunement and resonance beyond media. Spanning two decades, and clarified by lineages of afro-surrealists, futurists, and image-makers, DaRemen has honed his artistry into a vehicle for deeper connection, Black liberation, and imaginative world-building.

Since childhood, the artist displayed a keen sensitivity to detail and the world’s visual textures, nostalgically noting the warm and fuzzy feelings seen in fast-food packaging and classic 90s commercials. His early experiments with Polaroid and VHS cameras found lying around his grandmother’s home initiated his innate creative curiosities. Later, popularized for personalizing profile photos for classmates and shooting YouTube skits with his camera phone, realization struck that image-making was his sacred strong suit. Technology advanced and in November 2013, DaRemen acquired his first camera, a Canon T3i, and what followed is history. Forging ahead, he cofounded a motion picture company, dream studios©️, alongside Terry Suave in 2019. Maintaining an ethos of giving back, in all senses, the collective continues to produce work worldwide.