AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER SHARON SAMUELS TO DESIGN INAUGURAL PIGMENTED: BLACK FINE ART FAIRE INSTALLATION IN CHICAGO
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Pigment International is proud to announce that acclaimed architect, artist, and set designer Sharon Samuels will design the exhibition space for the inaugural Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire, taking place October 31–November 2, 2025, at the Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th St., in Chicago.
Samuels, whose multidisciplinary work spans architecture, film, and cultural design, is known for her bold, immersive spatial storytelling. Her appointment signals the Faire’s commitment to both aesthetic excellence and cultural intention, ensuring the debut of Chicago’s first Black-run fine art fair is as visually powerful as it is historic.
“Sharon Samuels is a visionary who understands how to shape space with meaning,” said [Insert Name], [Insert Title] of Pigment International. “Her design will not only frame the art — it will honor legacy, invite engagement, and reflect the brilliance of Black creative expression.”
Samuels, the founder of Sharon Michelle Design, brings more than two decades of experience across disciplines. Her firm has worked on projects ranging from architectural interiors and museum installations to major film sets, fusing form, history, and narrative to elevate the environments in which culture is experienced. Learn more at www.sharonmichelle.net.
The Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire will feature gallery exhibitions, an Artist Alley, student showcase, youth programming, limited edition merchandise, and programming celebrating the 80th anniversary of the American Negro Exposition and the history of Chicago’s Black-owned galleries. The Faire will also include a national and international slate of panels and conversations, hosted by media personality Dometi Pongo.
Gallery spaces and sponsorship opportunities are now available.
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MASTER PRINTMAKER THOMAS LUCAS ON UNDERSTANDING PRINTS AND EDITIONS
Recently installed head of Art & Design at Chicago State University in Chicago, Thomas Lucas offered a master class in the intricacies of printed works during a conversation at the Woodshop Art Gallery. Lucas, who has printed works for Richard Hunt, Kerry James Marshall and Robert Pruitt, is one of only a select group of master printers in the country. Pigment International wrote about Lucas’s work with sculptor Richard Hunt in their Pigment Magazine.
The conversation, moderated by art appraiser Diane Carr, covered a wide swath of printmaking, even touching on the early advent of the Xerox machine, and how artists like Dr. Maragret Burroughs received grants from the company to print artwork. Many long-time collectors were in the audience who wanted to know the most nuanced differences in techniques that would elevate the value of their offerings.
Lucas talked about prints as currency, citing how the Dutch government printed scores of works by Rembrandt, almost rendering them invaluable. Lucas works with artists individually to create and refine their ideas on how the print ends up. He also produces prints for resale by galleries.
The team at the Woodshop, the oldest continuously operating Black owned gallery in Chicago, pulled different examples of works from their collection. In reviewing them, Lucas was immediately struck by an etching of work by artist and feminist Emma Amos, the youngest and only female members of the group Spiral, founded by Romare Bearden. The Woodshop acquired the piece from an estate sale. Also of note was an oil-based print of Duke Ellington. The printmaker says oil is rarely used today.
Read our Pigment Newsletter to learn more about the techniques the printmaker used to design one of the NASCAR trophies
ILA CREATIVE HOST HEAR WE ART
ILA Creative Studio invites Chicago’s educators to a special edition of Hear We Art™, an immersive wellness experience blending sound, art, and reflection. Designed to support those working in high-stress school environments, this session offers creative tools for decompression, emotional awareness, and personal care.
Saturday, May 17 | 12–3 PM
3619 S. State St., Chicago
Facilitated by Candis Oakley (Very Human Social) & artist Nesha Logan
Free admission | Light refreshments & materials provided
Take time to recharge and reconnect — with your creativity, your community, and yourself.
IN ART NEWS
FIRST BLACK LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS FIRED
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first African American to hold the post, was fired on last week under the current administration’s continued remaking of American cultural institutions. Her time was set to expire next year.
KOYO KOUOH, CURATOR 2026 VENICE BIENNALE DIES SUDENLY AT 57
Koyo Kouoh, the celebrated Cameroonian-born curator behind some of the most significant exhibitions of African contemporary art in recent decades, has died unexpectedly at the age of 57.
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