September 14, 2026
Butter Art Fair, ‘Boogie Wonderland’ And Black Art Take Center Stage
The Butter Art Fair has created quite the name for itself.
For many, Indianapolis, Indiana, is a quaint college town that is home to both Indiana State and Purdue University. Known primarily for Indy 500 motorsports racing, Indianapolis also serves as the headquarters of the NCAA—and in the past, Madame CJ Walker chose Indianapolis as the home base for her then-growing business, contributing to the Midwest city’s history. More recently, though, Indianapolis is the grand stage for the Butter Art Fair.
Mali and Alan Bacon stand on Walker’s shoulders, creating cultural significance by founding Butter Art Fair in 2020, while in the throes of a global pandemic, and have since created economic growth, power, and justice for Black visual artists in “Nap Town” and across the “global African diaspora.” The art fair has been bubbling ever since.
“Year six marks a major milestone and tells of Indy’s commitment to talent retention, economic development, and innovation in the arts,” Alan said in a press release. “This year we work to eclipse $2 million in total sales for artists, and we hope to inspire thousands of people each day.”
The Butter Art Fair has made a name for itself as it pours into downtown Indianapolis’s art and culture scene. Now in its sixth year, the event brings together art lovers, collectors, and students of the arts at the city’s Stutz factory building at 1060 N. Capitol Ave.
In 2026, the art fair returned to Nap Town Sept. 3-6, with a fresh lineup of 53 exhibiting artists, including Gary, Indiana native comedian Mike Epps, and guest curators, Bianca Marks and Kia Davis. BLACK ENTERPRISE got a taste of Butter’s preview night for a first look. The exhibit floor covers 60,000 square feet and holds over 200 works of art, including installations, collage, conceptual art, drawings, lithographs, needlepoint, painting, sculpture, textile art, and print reproductions. As well, there is diversity among artists who participated. Seasoned heavy-hitters such as Atlanta-based artist Kevin A. (WAK) Williams shared wall space with emerging artists Jess Owens, Al-Basheer Holly, Lavett Ballard, Shenequa, and up-and-coming student artists.
Butter was well curated, featuring a range of mediums: collage, textile, lithography, assemblage, painting, sculpture, and photography. Artwork ranged in price as well, from $300 to over $20,000, with total proceeds going to the artist.
Standout works include:
“The Inheritance” by Ballard, 2026 winner of Butter’s Cultural Impact Award
“Heads of State Mini-Series 1-24” by Gavin Benjamin
“Mother’s Crown” by Shaunt’e Lewis
“Where The Seams Don’t Show” by Nalaa Alexis
“Momzilla Vol. 2” by Paul Benjamin Smith
“Essence” by Jamaal Barber
“Class of 2003” by Al-Basheer Holly
—And “Choc City Shine” by Maryam Moma:
Why Kevin A. Williams’ “Boogie Wonderland,” a throwback to 1970s flyness, was the flyest artwork in the building.
The scene and its subjects are thoughtfully rendered. The regal, bejeweled, Afro-wearing couple, sitting in a living room setting among vintage items that signified the era—wooden wall panels; mid-century furniture; a framed picture in the background; shaggy throw pillow; ball-and-chain chandelier; crystal drinking glasses; a Sony record player with an AM/FM frequency dial; a Crown Royal liquor bag, and a lit cigarette resting in an ashtray—is not just an ode to Blackness, but a historically accurate depiction of African American culture, expression, and existence. Williams’ attention to detail and execution is exquisite. The mood and lighting are created through a combination of flat color and highlights that emphasize the subject’s shadows on the wall, the sheen on their mocha skin, the bling in their jewelry, crystal effects, and the movement of smoke.
The subject’s gaze is piercing—and triggering. The look on the couple’s face is reminiscent of days of yore, when the viewer might remember being a curious child who wanders into grown folks’ business late at night. The stern look usually precedes a memorable statement: “Take your ass to bed.” “Boogie Nights” makes us wonder about the conversation, the music playing in the background: is it “Going In Circles” by Friends of Distinction or “Backstabbers” by The O’Jays?
It’s a beautiful matrix.
While the artist’s print was the star of the fair (priced at $3,000), one can only imagine that the original version is the sun.
To learn more about the Butter Art Fair’s initiatives and upcoming year, tap into the website or the organization’s social media.
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