by Dr. Murry DePillars
Dr. Murry N. DePillars was born in Chicago in 1938. He earned a B.A. in art education and an M.A. in urban studies from Roosevelt University and a Ph.D. in art education from Pennsylvania State University. His paintings and drawings are empowered by a rich intellect, a consciousness of his African heritage, and a recognition of the potentials of art as an instrument of cultural education and social change.
He became known in the 1960s and 1970s for reversing, through a series of naturalistic, cartoon-like drawings, stereotypical images of African Americans in the public imagination. For instance, in Aunt Jemima (1968) he transformed the image of a docile mammy into a black Amazon conscious of her rights and ready to fight for social justice by using her trademark pancake spatula as a weapon.
In 1976, Dr. DePillars was named Dean of the School of the Arts at VCU, where he served until he retired in 1995, earning the title Professor Emeritus. Under his leadership, the School of the Arts grew to become one of the largest art schools in the U. S., and attained both national and international recognition.