Missing Home was inspired by a community dialogue session in Atlantic City, where voices from diverse cultures and generations shared personal stories of migration, labor, and belonging.
During one of these group conversations, a common thread emerged — the idea of “home.” René began reflecting on the sacrifices made by the labor and tourism workers along the southern New Jersey shore towns of Atlantic City and Cape May — those who often miss out on home life, rest, and, for some, their home of origin, whether they migrated from the southern states or immigrated from abroad.
A diptych painted in oil, acrylic, and spray paint, Missing Home reimagines the familiar beaches of Atlantic City and Cape May. In place of typical vacationers, René centered the labor and tourism workers themselves — spanning generations from a Pullman porter and a Club Harlem dancer of the past to a contemporary waitress and casino dealer. Together, they embody a continuum of resilience and diverse legacy, (re)claiming leisure, belonging, and a sense of home.
48” x 60” x 1.5” (each panel 48” x 30”)
