Dominique Hodge - The Art of Afro-Alchemy
January 15, 2026Born and raised in Sumter, known artistically as “Jakeem Da Dream,” Dominique Hodge is an afro futuristic artist. Upon graduating from high school, he furthered his artistic knowledge by attending The Art Institute of Charleston, which exposed him to a larger world of art. It was in college that Hodge first discovered black representation in art, something he did not often see growing up. This pivotal point sparked the revelation that he could create artwork that reflected himself and those who looked like him.
Actively working in the community, instructing art classes and painting events through local art studios and galleries. In the past decade, Hodge has traveled across the state where he has connected with many artists in such places as Spartanburg, Greenville, Lake City, and Charleston, and beyond the borders of South Carolina. DominiqueHodge is everywhere – at every opening, every artist talk, every event. His unbounding energy and enthusiasm for art is contagious! had his first solo exhibit in June 2025 at the Koger Center of the Arts in Columbia. Throughout the past few years, he has exhibited across South Carolina. Aside from working on canvas he has also completed several mural projects within local schools and businesses. He has been working as a teaching artist since 2018 through the nonprofit Auntie Karen Foundation. Hodge became a part of the Foundation’s Artrapreneur Program, a program that seeks to empower the youth through the arts by placing working artists, singers, dancers, and musicians in rural schools to provide quality art education to students with few creative opportunities. He has been working with the program for the past 8 year in which time he has had the joy of nurturing thousands of young creative minds. He is a member of the Sumter Gallery of Art and sits on the SCGA board of directors. Hodge is an active member of the Sumter Artists’ Guild, Roc Bottom Studios and Gemini Arts, both in Columbia.
Hodge views artists as the true alchemists. SCGA curator and assistant director Eric Lachance notes, "Dominique Hodge, believes artists are like alchemists and to this end, creates work that "reflects the heart, mind, and soul" of his subjects. His Afrofuturist pieces weave elements of astronomy and astrology, esotericism, hermetic philosophy, history, and mythology to transcend time and space as he explores the consciousness of the black experience."
