Rocco Fama

November 16–December 21, 2013 320 West 13th Street Project
A drawing of a pink brick building. The building has several stories, three doors, 38 windows and a chimney. “P Ballantine'' is written above the central door and a symbol of three intersecting yellow rings is between the two

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches

A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches

A drawing of six multi-story brick buildings in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and a door. The buildings vary in size and color between red, pink, orange and green. The green building has a garage door. They all have flat roofs and chimneys against a clouded light blue sky).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 13.75 × 17 inches

A drawing of five buildings in red, blue, pink, orange and green. Each building has multiple windows, stories, a front door, a chimney and a flat roof. The sky is gray and cloudy

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 10.75 × 15 inches

A drawing of three pink, multi-story, brick buildings in a row with no space between them. The two outer buildings have blue doors and windows and the center building has green doors and windows. The left building has a flat roof, the center has a rounded roof and the rightmost has a geometric roof

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 10.75 × 15 inches

A drawing of four green, multi-story, brick buildings from a high perspective. The buildings form a zig zag because of how they’re arranged

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 20 × 13 inches

A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building. The building has a double door and dozens of windows. Seven round windows vertically line the center of the building. The sky is light blue

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 17.5 × 12 inches

A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows. The building has six doors and a clock above them. There’s a tree on either side of the building and a light blue sky in the background

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., clored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches

A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, three doors and a sidewalk. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15.25 × 11.5 inches

A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows and one door. A blue banner reading “EASTMAN KODACK” vertically lines the building above the door. On either side of the door is a banner with the words “SALES SERVICE”

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches

A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows, cylindrical tiers and cone-shaped roofs. One circular window is above the door

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 10 inches

A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows including one round window

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 19.75 × 13 inches

A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, three dozen windows and a chimney. The sky in the background is blue and there is grass to the left and rear of the building

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 14.75 × 11 inches

A mostly symmetrical drawing of a blue bridge connecting two tree-lined mounds. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches

A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a flat green roof and teal bricks lining its sides. The building has a double door, dozens of windows and four chimneys

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 13 × 10 inches

A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building with two flat roofs as one is higher than the other. The building has a chimney, three doors, dozens of windows and the two largest windows have “Rocco” and “Fama” written on them in cursive

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 12 × 9 inches

A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with one door, four windows, a flat room and a tree standing on either side. The building has a light green trim of brick on either side of the building as well as around the windows and above the door. The roof has a darker green trim that reads “1929”

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 16 × 11.25 inches

Nine drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery

Rocco Fama, installation view, 2013

Nine drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery

Rocco Fama, installation view, 2013

A drawing of a yellow, multi-story, brick building with one door and eight windows. There is one tree on either side of the building and the sky is light blue and cloudy

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches

A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches

A drawing of a large, blue, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, five doors and two chimneys. The building takes up the width of the frame and almost all of the height other than a sliver of light blue sky

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 10.5 × 14 inches

Press Release

White Columns is proud to present the first solo exhibition by the late Rocco Fama, a self taught artist who worked closely with H.A.I.’s Arts Workshop Program. (Now known as Healing Arts Initiative, H.A.I. has an art program for adult artists in New York City with mental disabilities.) Biographical information about Fama’s life is limited: he worked with H.A.I. beginning in 1995/96 when he was around 70 years old. Confined to a wheelchair, and excluded from conventional work for most of his adult life, Fama’s detailed, visionary drawings of imaginary architectural structures and street scenes were most likely inspired by his father, who worked as a brick mason in New York City. Working in his tiny 14th Street studio apartment Fama typically worked on several drawings at once, drawing on both his memory and immediate surroundings for inspiration.

Checklist

A drawing of a pink brick building. The building has several stories, three doors, 38 windows and a chimney. “P Ballantine'' is written above the central door and a symbol of three intersecting yellow rings is between the two
A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof
A drawing of six multi-story brick buildings in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and a door. The buildings vary in size and color between red, pink, orange and green. The green building has a garage door. They all have flat roofs and chimneys against a clouded light blue sky).
A drawing of five buildings in red, blue, pink, orange and green. Each building has multiple windows, stories, a front door, a chimney and a flat roof. The sky is gray and cloudy
A drawing of three pink, multi-story, brick buildings in a row with no space between them. The two outer buildings have blue doors and windows and the center building has green doors and windows. The left building has a flat roof, the center has a rounded roof and the rightmost has a geometric roof
A drawing of four green, multi-story, brick buildings from a high perspective. The buildings form a zig zag because of how they’re arranged
A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building. The building has a double door and dozens of windows. Seven round windows vertically line the center of the building. The sky is light blue
A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows. The building has six doors and a clock above them. There’s a tree on either side of the building and a light blue sky in the background
A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, three doors and a sidewalk. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy
A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows and one door. A blue banner reading “EASTMAN KODACK” vertically lines the building above the door. On either side of the door is a banner with the words “SALES SERVICE”
A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows, cylindrical tiers and cone-shaped roofs. One circular window is above the door
A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows including one round window
A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, three dozen windows and a chimney. The sky in the background is blue and there is grass to the left and rear of the building
A mostly symmetrical drawing of a blue bridge connecting two tree-lined mounds. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy
A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a flat green roof and teal bricks lining its sides. The building has a double door, dozens of windows and four chimneys
A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building with two flat roofs as one is higher than the other. The building has a chimney, three doors, dozens of windows and the two largest windows have “Rocco” and “Fama” written on them in cursive
A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with one door, four windows, a flat room and a tree standing on either side. The building has a light green trim of brick on either side of the building as well as around the windows and above the door. The roof has a darker green trim that reads “1929”
Nine drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery
Nine drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery
A drawing of a yellow, multi-story, brick building with one door and eight windows. There is one tree on either side of the building and the sky is light blue and cloudy
A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof
A drawing of a large, blue, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, five doors and two chimneys. The building takes up the width of the frame and almost all of the height other than a sliver of light blue sky

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., olored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches (A drawing of a pink brick building. The building has several stories, three doors, 38 windows and a chimney. “P Ballantine” is written above the central door and a symbol of three intersecting yellow rings is between the two).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches (A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 13.75 × 17 inches (A drawing of six multi-story brick buildings in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and a door. The buildings vary in size and color between red, pink, orange and green. The green building has a garage door. They all have flat roofs and chimneys against a clouded light blue sky).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 10.75 × 15 inches (A drawing of five buildings in red, blue, pink, orange and green. Each building has multiple windows, stories, a front door, a chimney and a flat roof. The sky is gray and cloudy).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D. colored pencil on paper, 10.75 × 15 inches (A drawing of three pink, multi-story, brick buildings in a row with no space between them. The two outer buildings have blue doors and windows and the center building has green doors and windows. The left building has a flat roof, the center has a rounded roof and the rightmost has a geometric roof).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 20 × 13 inches (A drawing of four green, multi-story, brick buildings from a high perspective. The buildings form a zig zag because of how they’re arranged).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 17.5 × 12 inches (A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building. The building has a double door and dozens of windows. Seven round windows vertically line the center of the building. The sky is light blue).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches (A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows. The building has six doors and a clock above them. There’s a tree on either side of the building and a light blue sky in the background).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15.25 × 11.5 inches (A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, three doors and a sidewalk. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches (A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows and one door. A blue banner reading “EASTMAN KODACK” vertically lines the building above the door. On either side of the door is a banner with the words “SALES SERVICE”).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 10 inches (A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows, cylindrical tiers and cone-shaped roofs. One circular window is above the door).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 19.75 × 13 inches (A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, dozens of windows including one round window).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 14.75 × 11 inches (A drawing of a blue, multi-story, brick building with a door, three dozen windows and a chimney. The sky in the background is blue and there is grass to the left and rear of the building). 

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches (A mostly symmetrical drawing of a blue bridge connecting two tree-lined mounds. The sky in the background is light blue and cloudy).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 13 × 10 inches (A drawing of an orange, multi-story, brick building with a flat green roof and teal bricks lining its sides. The building has a double door, dozens of windows and four chimneys).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 12 × 9 inches (A drawing of a green, multi-story, brick building with two flat roofs as one is higher than the other. The building has a chimney, three doors, dozens of windows and the two largest windows have “Rocco” and “Fama” written on them in cursive). 

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 16 × 11.25 inches (A drawing of a red, multi-story, brick building with one door, four windows, a flat room and a tree standing on either side. The building has a light green trim of brick on either side of the building as well as around the windows and above the door. The roof has a darker green trim that reads “1929”).

Rocco Fama, installation view, 2013 (Nine colored pencil drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery).

Rocco Fama, installation view, 2013 (Nine drawings of multi-colored buildings arranged on two walls of a gallery).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 15 × 11 inches (A drawing of a yellow, multi-story, brick building with one door and eight windows. There is one tree on either side of the building and the sky is light blue and cloudy).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 11 × 15 inches (A drawing of six pink brick buildings of different heights and hues in a row. There’s no space between the buildings and each has multiple windows and stories, a door, a chimney and flat roof).

Rocco Fama, Untitled, N.D., colored pencil on paper, 10.5 × 14 inches (A drawing of a large, blue, multi-story, brick building with dozens of windows, five doors and two chimneys. The building takes up the width of the frame and almost all of the height other than a sliver of light blue sky).