Art Fair 14C is proud to announce Jonte Drew as its next Resident Artist.
14C’s residency programs were created to expand opportunities for artists, particularly those who may not have access to other residencies – artists with disabilities and artists with recent MFA degrees. The 6-month residency for an artist with a disability was just completed by Danielle Scott, and Jonte is the inaugural artist selected for the MFA residency.
Jonte Drew is a visual artist from Paterson, New Jersey. He attended William Paterson University, where he received both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2018 and a Master of Fine Arts in 2021.
Jonte’s style is one that utilizes humor to investigate the shared experiences of African Americans in America, the commodification of urban culture and the conversations surrounding mental health. His paintings and drawings often feature himself and other Black individuals in the midst of colorful and idealized environments. In addition, he emphasizes the humanity of his subjects by placing them in various scenes of leisure and domesticity in their plight of finding serenity and joy, while challenging the critical portrayal of masculinity and physicality as it relates to the perception of Black men.