LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – A Lake Charles artist wanted everyone who saw his work to see themselves in it – literally. That vision is now on display at the Black Heritage Gallery, honoring the life and legacy of artist Parris Duhon.

Duhon passed away in January 2025 at 53 years old.

Gallery Curator Jeanine Blaney, a former classmate of Duhon’s, organized the exhibit to honor his memory and share his work with the public for the first time.

“Mr. Parris Duhon’s exhibit is one you will actually see yourself in some of the pictures,” Blaney said. “That was one of his main things about his artwork. He wanted you to actually see yourself in his artwork.”

Blaney says she wishes she had known Duhon was still creating before he passed.

“I wish that I would have known that he was still doing artwork,” she said. “That way we could have done an art exhibit with him before he passed.”

The exhibit features 28 pieces, each showcasing Duhon’s use of vivid colors, intricate designs, and animals with every painting telling its own story.

One standout piece is titled “Mardi Gras Cinderella.”

“If you look very closely into it, you’ll see the details, but you won’t see her face,” Blaney said. “You can envision yourself. You can put your own face here in this artwork. You can see yourself as the Mardi Gras Cinderella.”

Blaney says each of the 28 pieces on display reflects Duhon’s personality in a different way, including through his alter ego.

“He had an alter ego called ‘Clive the Cat,’” she said. “So when you look at his artwork, you’re going to see a little bit of ‘Clive the Cat’ in some of the artwork, as well.”

Duhon’s family was present at the gallery to celebrate his legacy, though they chose to let his art speak for itself.

The exhibit is on display at the Black Heritage Gallery in Lake Charles through July 31.