M&T Fourth Friday Opening Reception: Sam Modder, "Of All the Worlds We Could Have Dreamed"

Please join us for the opening reception of Sam Modder's "Of All the Worlds We Could Have Dreamed," on Friday, August 22, from 5:00-8:00pm, as part of M&T Bank’s Fourth Friday at Tri-Main Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Buffalo Arts Studio is proud to present Of All the Worlds We Could Have Dreamed, a solo exhibition by Tampa-based artist Samantha Modder, on view from August 22 through November 7, 2025.

Samantha Modder’s work centers the Black imaginary as a creative and liberating force. Drawing from personal experience and diasporic memory, "Of All the Worlds We Could Have Dreamed" features a powerful series of portraits that resist erasure and reclaim identity through speculative storytelling. These bold, figurative works challenge dominant narratives and open space for imagined futures, emotional complexity, and cultural visibility.

Modder’s process combines traditional and digital techniques. She begins with intricate pen drawings, often rendered with an attention that reflects personal rituals of self-care, such as detangling curls. These hand-drawn elements are scanned and reassembled into striking digital collages that borrow from the visual language of comics. In each work, hair is a central motif—a symbol of beauty, rebellion, and connection. It becomes a way to both comfort and confront, challenging imposed standards while celebrating cultural resilience.

Part of M&T Fourth Fridays at Tri-Main Center. For more information about Buffalo Arts Studio, please visit www.buffaloartsstudio.org

Also check out other Arts events in Buffalo, Fine Arts events in Buffalo, Exhibitions in Buffalo.