27-02-2025
Local artist celebrates people of color through his work and teaching
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — It's called 'The Eclectic Man,' and compared to other pieces around it inside the Memorial Art Gallery, it's small in size, but not in import.
'It was an experimentation of different techniques, glazing, building up different layers of paint, it was a terrific experience and I'm honored to have it here in the collection,' said its creator, Unique received that honor at the Finger Lakes Exhibition where the MAG bought the painting.
And it's at the MAG this School of Inquiry grad serves as a teacher artist, emphasizing how art can reflect and shape society, underscoring the importance of subject matter. 'I generally prioritize people of color, African-Americans, members of the LGBT community and a big element of that work is the documentation of people who are not often seen in the canon of fine art. Generally, who is and isn't depicted in art is a political reality, who we do see or don't see is often a choice of intention,' Fair an adjunct professor at RIT, Fair seeks to show students how Black history and Rochester are intertwined and he does that partly through the artwork of past and current local African-American artists.'(Artists) who have cultivated a respect and a prestige among Rochesterians because of their willingness to depict people and to really capture the day-to-day experience of people,' Fair said
The 69th Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition starts this year on June 28.
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