COME EXPERIENCE THE PIGMENTED BLACK FINE ART FAIRE
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Join Pigment International for a vibrant celebration of Black art, culture, and creativity at the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire.
Jumpstart your art weekend with a specially curated event Black Pepper by Kinfolk Collective, an art dinner experience on October 29th at the Sophy Hotel in Hyde Park. Explore our specially created guide to Five Days in Chicago — filled with art, dining, and cultural must-sees for those visiting the city.
Opening Night of Pigmented sets the tone with unforgettable performances by Joan Collaso and the Jazz Institute of Chicago, hosted by LeeAnn Trotter.
On Friday, the energy shifts After Dark as we welcome the Butter team from Indianapolis for a meet-up with the Chicago Butter Alumni for a night of rhythm, artistry, and magic — featuring sounds by musical historian Duane Powell, captivating illusions from Emerson the Magician, and hosted by Dometi Pongo.
From gallery conversations to late-night grooves, Divertimento captures the movement, melody, and mastery that define Black art today.
Plan your visit. Experience the magic. And take home the art that moves you.
PIGMENTED BLACK FINE ART FAIRE PROGRAM LINE-UP
From legacy to innovation, the Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire presents a powerful lineup of conversations that illuminate the richness and resilience of Black creativity. Taking place October 30 — November 2, 2025, at the Zhou B Art Center, this year’s programming brings together artists, collectors, scholars, and cultural leaders for five thought-provoking panels exploring how Black art continues to shape community, culture, and commerce. Each dialogue — rooted in Chicago’s deep artistic heritage — offers fresh insight into the people and institutions building the future of the Black arts movement.
Pigment International presents five dynamic conversations exploring legacy, community, creativity, and the future of Black art and culture.
Anchored — Pillars of Community
Saturday, November 1 | 12:00 PM
Moderator: Rachel Gadson, ILA Creative Studio
Panelists: Anefertiti Bowman, Everett Williams, D. E. Simmons, Janice Bond
Held on the birthday of Dr. Margaret Burroughs, this panel honors the community builders and cultural workers who anchor Chicago’s Black arts ecosystem and sustain generations of creative excellence.
Building Cultural and Economic Value: Black Art, Collectors, and the Future of America
Saturday, November 1 | 2:00 PM
Moderator: Nneka B. Dunham
Panelists: Diane Dinkins Carr, Denise Gardner, Marryam Moma, Halima Taha
Exploring the intersection of culture, economics, and equity, this discussion examines how Black artists, collectors, and institutions drive creative and financial value across the art world.
Something in the Water: Chicago’s Creative Current in Black Art
Saturday, November 1 | 4:00 PM
Moderator: Tempestt Hazel
Panelists: Kevin “WAK” Williams, Faheem Majeed, Norman Teague, Candace Hunter
A vibrant conversation on Chicago’s enduring role as a cradle of Black artistic brilliance and how its creative current continues to shape national and global art movements.
Bloodlines & Brushstrokes: Generational Creativity in Black Art
Sunday, November 2 | 12:00 PM
Moderator: Martha Wade
Panelists: Dorian Sylvain; Katon Blackburn; D. Lamar Preston; Felicia Grant Preston
Celebrating family legacy and creativity as inheritance, this intimate discussion explores how generations of Black artists nurture and evolve Chicago’s artistic lineage.
Institution Builders
Sunday, November 2 | 2:00 PM
Moderator: Danny Dunson — Curator, Art Historian, and Founder of Legacy Brothers
Panelists: Perri Irmer, Carol Adams, PhD, Erica Griffin, Monique Brinkman-Hill
This historic conversation unites past and present leaders of the DuSable Black History Museum, Chicago History Museum and the South Side Community Art Center for a multigenerational dialogue on Chicago’s enduring cultural legacy. The panel explores how these landmark institutions have preserved Black narratives, nurtured generations of artists, and continue to influence the national Black arts movement.
Together, these conversations reflect Pigment International’s ongoing commitment to advancing the narrative of Black art — celebrating the visionaries who create, collect, and curate cultural excellence. The Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire is more than an exhibition; it is a gathering of ideas, influence, and imagination. Join us as we honor the past, engage the present, and shape the future of Black art in Chicago and beyond.
EMERGING VOICES: YOUTH EXHIBITION SHINES AT THE PIGMENTED BLACK FINE ART FAIRE
A special highlight of the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire will be the Youth Exhibition, a showcase of young talent nurtured under the guidance of celebrated Chicago artist and community builder Dorian Sylvain. For more than two months, Sylvain and her creative team have mentored a group of high school students — teaching them essential artistic techniques, exploring new mediums, and even guiding them through the professional process of framing and presentation.
These emerging artists will exhibit their work alongside established professionals, gaining first-hand experience in what it means to show at a fine art fair. The project embodies Pigment International’s commitment to fostering the next generation of Black creatives — offering not only exposure but also education, mentorship, and inspiration.
As Sylvain’s own practice centers on community and cultural storytelling, her leadership ensures these young artists understand both the craft and the cultural responsibility that comes with it. Their work stands as a testament to the power of guidance, opportunity, and creative expression.
Visitors to the Faire are encouraged to stop by the Youth Exhibition to witness the promise and passion shaping the future of Black art.
PIGMENTED MERCH
Take Pigmented home with you — shirts, hats totes, umbrellas. And more one-of-a-kind items. Book signings by Dorian Sylvain, Rose Blouin and Dr. Paul L. Hanna MD.
REGGIE MCFLY RETURNS TO THE OTHER ART FAIR WITH PIGMENT INTERNATIONAL
Chicago-based mixed-media artist Reggie McFly will once again bring his powerful and textured works to The Other Art Fair, exhibiting with Pigment International at Artifact Events, October 30 — November 2. Following his appearance at the spring edition of the fair, McFly returns with a new collection that continues to push the boundaries of perception, resilience, and reinvention.
McFly’s art is born from a deeply personal journey. Diagnosed with Takayasu’s arteritis, a rare autoimmune disease, and later losing his eyesight, he redefined what it means to create — crafting tactile, multidimensional pieces that invite viewers to feel as much as they see. After stepping away from art for two decades, he rediscovered his creative voice during the pandemic, channeling a renewed sense of purpose and introspection into his work.
Each piece by McFly is a testament to transformation — of body, of vision, and of spirit. His layered compositions and bold use of texture challenge audiences to look beyond the surface, embodying the belief that creativity can illuminate even the darkest spaces.
Visitors to The Other Art Fair can experience McFly’s latest works and witness firsthand his evolving exploration of art, identity, and possibility.
VOYAGER EXHIBIT AT THE OTHER ART FAIR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PIGMENT INTERNATIONAL
October 30 — November 2 | Artifacts, Ravenswood | Chicago
Pigment International is proud to partner with Chicago Voyagers to present The Future Voyagers exhibition at The Other Art Fair, hosted at Artifact Events in Ravenswood. Curated by Dwight White II, a multidisciplinary artist and longtime Pigment International collaborator, the exhibition reimagines exploration through the eyes of youth to promote diversity, equity, and access to the outdoors for underserved communities.
Building on its debut earlier this year at Epiphany Center for the Arts, The Future Voyagers features striking portraits of young participants from Chicago Voyagers — youth of color depicted as bold, modern explorers. The work challenges historic portrayals of American exploration, positioning these vibrant new voices at the center of the narrative.
Visitors to the Pigment International booth at The Other Art Fair will have the opportunity to purchase student artwork, with proceeds supporting Chicago Voyagers, a nonprofit using outdoor adventure therapy to empower underrepresented youth.
Dwight White, whose work has been showcased by Pigment International locally and at the Butter Art Fair in Indianapolis, brings his visionary storytelling and community-centered practice to this inspiring collaboration.
Join us in celebrating the next generation of explorers and creatives. Tickets to The Other Art Fair are available now — use code PIGMENT for a special discount.
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