FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2026
Tanya Weddemire Gallery presents its inaugural presentation at The Armory Show 2026
featuring artists O’Neil Scott and Austin Uzor
(Left) O’Neil Scott, Sunday to Sunday, 2026, 30” x 22”, Oil on Panel; (Right) Austin Uzor, Untitled, 2026, 30” x 22”, Oil on Panel
New York, NY – Tanya Weddemire Gallery presents its inaugural presentation at The Armory Show 2026 with contemporary artists O’Neil Scott and Austin Uzor. Together, the artists create a compelling visual dichotomy that speaks to the shared experience of immigrants navigating life in a foreign land.
Scott, a Jamaican-born oil painter, offers a direct contrast through figurative and abstraction works, centering the subject as the focal point. By foregrounding people, his work reminds viewers that immigrants themselves are the conduits of resilience, strength, and tenacity as they rebuild their lives both external and internal into physical sanctuaries and landscapes far removed from where they began.
Uzor, a Nigerian-born painter, leans toward abstraction and figuration using oil as a medium to visually traverse the paths of African migrants, from historic passages through the Sahara Desert and across the Mediterranean Sea to contemporary journeys shaped by assimilation, opportunity, expansion, and growth. His work intertwines themes of human displacement, political unrest, and upheaval while preserving the humanity of the sojourners at its center.
Together, Uzor and Scott affirm that these Diaspora stories, lived experiences, and perspectives are vital to immortalizing the cultural caretaking through communal ties, memory, and storytelling.
About O’Neil Scott
O’Neil Scott is a Philadelphia-based artist, born in Spanish Town, Jamaica whose practice is rooted in portraiture. Influenced early by his grandfather and uncle, both of whom pursued creative paths. Scott began drawing as a child, filling notebooks with characters both imagined and observed. Scott’s work is inspired by the Old Masters and contemporary realists alike. His transition from acrylic to oil paint marked a pivotal moment in his practice, allowing for greater depth, pliability, and exploration of complex narratives. Through his portraits, he engages with themes such as social justice, climate change, immigration and subjects that speak to both personal truth and collective urgency. In 2025, Scott debuted his first solo museum large scale works exhibition at the Zillman Art Museum (University of Maine) in Bangor, Maine, a milestone that showcased the breadth of his evolving work and his commitment to storytelling through a Black diasporic lens. His work has also been exhibited at the National Gallery of Jamaica and featured in IN FOCUS at the Morris Museum. He has presented work at leading art fairs including SCOPE Art Show, and EXPO CHICAGO. At the core of his paintings is a desire to invoke mindfulness, inspire contemplation, and foster deeper understanding of the human condition. Scott’s work has been exhibited with notable galleries, and his paintings are part of esteemed corporate collections as well as private collections both in the U.S. and internationally.
About Austin Uzor
Austin Uzor is a Nigerian/American artist and educator living and working between Dallas and New York. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2013 from the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he majored in drawing and painting. He moved to the US in 2016 and this move became subject to his work which revolved around the exploration of psychological spaces. In 2021 he got his Masters in Drawing and Painting from the University of North Texas, Denton. Uzor was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Alfred University New York and Tarleton State University Texas where he taught painting from 2021 to 2023 respectively. Uzor has exhibited locally and internationally with Solo shows in London, Paris and New York. He has also had his works privately and publicly collected around Europe, Africa and the United States. Two of the most prominent collections are the International African American Museum in South Carolina and the Newark Museum of Arts in New Jersey. While being published frequently, Uzor just recently participated in the James Weldon Johnson fellowship and residency program coupled with a lot of notable Art Fairs like Expo Chicago, Dallas Art Fair, 154 New York and London. Uzor is currently back at Alfred University as Visiting Faculty teaching drawing until 2026.
About Tanya Weddemire Gallery
Tanya Weddemire Gallery is a Brooklyn-based contemporary art gallery, established in 2022 and located in Industry City, Brooklyn. Founded by Tanya Weddemire, the gallery is dedicated to presenting the work of emerging and established artists whose practices explore identity, heritage, and contemporary narratives. Through thoughtful curatorial programming and strong community engagement, the gallery presents exhibitions, artist projects, and collaborations that connect cultural and historical perspectives with current artistic practices. Its programming is also supported by philanthropic initiatives that reinforce the gallery’s commitment to cultural access and impact. Exhibitions highlight a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, and mixed media allowing artists to communicate layered stories and lived experiences through material and form. Tanya Weddemire Gallery has presented artists through both in gallery exhibitions and international art fairs, including SCOPE Art Show, EXPO Chicago, 1-54 Contemporary Art Fair, Atlanta Art Fair and the Affordable Art Fair. Anchored in the philosophy of community, culture, and legacy, the gallery remains committed to building meaningful connections between artists, collectors, and global audiences.
For more information about Tanya Weddemire Gallery:
Website: tanyaweddemiregallery.org
Instagram: @tanyaweddemiregallery
