BmoreArt

This week’s news includes:  Jessica Bell Brown will leave the BMA to join the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, an interview with CMP Gallery’s Vlad Smolkin, Sam Mack wins Sondheim Prize, Full Circle Dance Company announces new project, WaPo ends arts coverage, new exhibition at the Rubell Museum DC, No Land Beyond crowdfunds Station North Move, Unique Robinson’s new poetry collection, Betty Cooke’s memorial,  R.I.S.E. Center + Jasmin Manning community event and mural reveal at Eubie Blake, chef David Zamudio sues former employer Alma Cocina, and the new Key Bridge Recovery Grant — with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, Baltimore Brew, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Full Circle Dance Company’s Teresa Hinton by Brion McCarthy

Jessica Bell Brown named executive director of the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU
by Wesley Hester
Published August 27 in VCU News

Excerpt: Jessica Bell Brown has been named executive director of the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Since 2022, Brown has served as curator and head of contemporary art at the Baltimore Museum of Art. She joined the museum as associate curator in 2019.

In her new role, which she will assume on Oct. 28, Brown will work to advance the mission of the ICA regionally, nationally and internationally. As a celebrated universitywide resource now within the School of the Arts, the ICA links campus and contemporary artists by supporting local creative communities, engaging an international network of contemporary artists and organizations, and encouraging collaborations with VCU departments, faculty, students and the broader community.

How CPM Gallery Founder Vlad Smolkin Is Engaging the Baltimore and Global Art Scenes
by Artnet Gallery Network
Published August 23 in Artnet News

Excerpt: Located in the Bolton Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, in a renovated townhouse, CPM Gallery has grown to be a recognized cornerstone of the vibrant—and growing—art scene of the city. Helmed by Vlad Smolkin, CPM (which stands for Critical Path Method) has carved its own path, one that doesn’t wholly ascribe to the traditional gallery models of those found in major art centers like New York or small-scale regional locales. Instead, CPM’s program could be described as integrated, fostering and promoting artists and critical discourse on both the micro and macro scale—recognizing the value of leveraging local community as well as engaging with the greater, international art world.

We caught up with Smolkin to learn more about his and the gallery’s background, as well as what’s on the horizon for CPM.

BOPA Announces Winner of The Sondheim Art Prize
Press Release :: August 22

The Baltimore Office of Promo$on & The Arts (BOPA) announces the winner of the 19th annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize. This year’s prize is presented by M&T Bank and supported by the generosity of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). The jurors have selected ceramicist Sam Mack as the recipient of the $30,000 prize. Mixed-media artist Amy Boone-McCreesh is the recipient of the studio residency at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower. Each finalist also received a $2,500 M&T Bank Finalist Award to assist them in preparing for the Sondheim Finalists Exhibition.

The 2024 Sondheim Finalists Exhibition is hosted by the Walters Art Museum. Curated by Christine Sciacca, Curator of European Art at the Walters, the exhibition is on view through September 8, 2024. It features the work of Mack, Boone-McCreesh, and weaver Hellen Ascoli. BOPA is grateful for the continued partnership of the Walters Art Museum and their world-class curatorial staff on the Sondheim Finalists Exhibition and Awards Ceremony. We also appreciate the time and dedication of this year’s panel of distinguished jurors: artist, scholar, and poet Noel W. Anderson; curator, educator, and historian Connie H. Choi; and curator, historian, and lecturer Aaron Levi Garvey.

Sam Mack currently lives and works in Baltimore. They received their MFA in Studio Art in 2019 from the School of Art at the University of Arkansas. Their work uses contemporary and historic ceramic vessels as a primary material in site-responsive sculpture. Mack has been an artist in residence at Ox Bow School of Art and Artist Residency and SUNY-New Paltz, and has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the JEAE Interna$onal Arts Center in Jingdezhen, China; Aichi Ceramics Museum in Seto City, Japan; the Clay Studio in Philadelphia; YNG SPC (online); Vernon Filley Art Museum in Prah, Kansas; and is presently represented by Galleri Urbane in Dallas, Texas.

The Sondheim Art Prize is named in honor of Janet & Walter Sondheim, both of whom were instrumental in furthering arts and culture in Baltimore City. This year marks the 19th edition of the prize, one of the region’s most prestigious competitions. The $30,000 prize is awarded annually to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. More than just a monetary award, the Sondheim Art Prize allows BOPA to elevate and celebrate great artists, helping them to advance their careers and providing funds at a key moment to move their studio practice to the next level. Learn more about the Sondheim Art Prize by visiting promotionandarts.org and following BOPA on social media (@promoandarts).

See also:

Ceramicist Sam Mack wins the 19th annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize
by Ed Gunts
Published August 23 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Full Circle Dance Company’s Groundbreaking new project
Press Release :: August 22

Baltimore’s Full Circle Dance Company is known for digging deeply into a single theme each year, bringing together diverse choreographers to explore the theme from multiple angles. In 2024, the theme is power. Full Circle’s “Season of Power” will include community workshops and performances from October 2024 through February 2, 2025.

“What we love,” said Full Circle Dance Company Artistic Director Donna L. Jacobs, “is the richness of this topic. There are so many facets of power to explore. We are interested in how power works in our daily lives, how it has shaped history, and in the transcendent power of dance to impact our communities, our artists, and our audience.”

A highlight of the project is Jacobs’s creative collaboration with acclaimed indigo dyer and multi-disciplinary artist Kibibi Ajanku and composer/recording artist Jasmin “Jazzo” Walters. The resulting new work draws on the history of indigo, its connections to slavery, and its spiritual value within the African Diaspora and in Baltimore. An original score by Walters honors this history as well as the power of art to lift us, to connect us, and to make change. Eight dancers will perform Jacobs’s eclectic and deeply personal choreography, which blends multiple dance traditions to evoke a layered story. Ajanku’s original costume designs, each a work of art, will reflect her unique, historically and indigenously informed practice.

Season Headline Event: “From the Source of Our Power”
November 3, 2024, Baltimore Museum of Art

Headlining the season is “From the Source of Our Power,” to be presented in two performances
on November 3 at the Baltimore Museum of Art. New and repertoire works will explore not only
physical strength and energy, but also social, political, and historical power. The show will
include the premieres of all new works commissioned by Full Circle Dance Company in 2024.
Collaborations with local designers and musical artists will make “From the Source of Our
Power” a true celebration of Baltimore-based interdisciplinary innovation.
10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore MD 21218
Tickets: $25 general, $15 students
fullcircledancecompany.org

Full Circle’s “Season of Power” Will Also Include:

● A free “Dance Your Power Workshop” October 8, 2024, at Morton Street Dance Center in
Baltimore City;
● A performance at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History on
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 20, 2025;
● A free “Dance Your Power Workshop” in January 2025 at the Gordon Center for Performing
Arts;
● A boundary-crossing collaboration with Ballet Theatre of Maryland to premiere February 2,
2025, at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts;
● Additional performances throughout the region.

For more information, including performance ticketing and workshop registration details, please visit Fullcircledancecompany.org.

Full Circle’s “Season of Power” is supported in part by Mayor Brandon Scott and the City of Baltimore/Creative Baltimore Fund, the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs of Baltimore City, the Maryland State Arts Council/Creativity Grants, and the United Way of Central Maryland. Works Included in “From the Source of Our Power,” November 3, 2024, at the Baltimore Museum of Art

● “1868: Liberation and the Ever Lashing” by Hope B. Byers. Byers delves into the complex
and often disregarded Reconstruction era when formerly enslaved Black Americans made
extraordinary strides toward freedom and equality. Byers explores how the notion of a true
interracial democracy gave rise to profound hope, simultaneously evoked violent resistance, and ultimately led to abandonment of this first attempt to truly evolve as a nation. (November 3 premiere)
● “The Sleeves of Love” by Morgan James celebrates the power of all kinds of love to improve
our lives—as individuals, as communities, as a nation. Features original costumes by local
fashion designer Eryn Boggs. (November 3 premiere)
● “Birthrights” by Nicole Tucker-Smith, performed by a real-life mother and daughter,
challenges us to discover power by defying limits imposed by others. (November 3 premiere)
● A solo, not yet titled, by choreographer Alicia Williams, explores the power of perseverance on the journey to find one’s true self. (November 3 premiere)
● “The Ceiling,” created in response to the 2017 “Me Too” movement, addresses decades of
women’s struggles in the workplace. This piece illustrates both the progress made in workplace equality and the significant challenges that remain. (2018)
● “The Embodied” by Travis Gatling explores the physical power of our diverse bodies to do
amazing things. (2011)

Full Circle Dance Company

Full Circle Dance Company was founded in 2000 by Donna L. Jacobs. From its inception, Full
Circle has been committed to presenting diverse stories, tackling real-world issues, and creating technically excellent work that engages and moves a broad audience. In addition to performing frequently throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, Full Circle has performed by invitation in Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Arizona, and Tennessee. Venues have included Baltimore Artscape Festival, Baltimore Museum of Art, Tempe Center for the Arts (AZ), Broadway Dance Center (NY), Ohio University, Wesleyan University (CT), Dance Place (DC), and many others. Tackling such issues as race, religion, body image, gender, and more, Full Circle’s yearlong choreography projects have received both local and national attention.

Kibibi Ajanku

Ancient while at the same time new-world and always changing, Ajanku’s muscle as a visual
artist spans from contemporary fine art to village inspired craft to performance. Her artistry is layered with—and entrenched in—indigenous folkways. Through the melding of ancient practices and Afro-futurism, Kibibi creates new ways for people to connect with the African Diaspora and themselves. Kibibi’s work is rooted in oral traditions of the African Diaspora. Her travels fuel the information with which she executes her artistry, pedagogy, and curatorial practice. Kibibi approaches all of her work from a lens of Liberation and Justice. Her work strives to connect the deep divides of this nation using universal truths and rigorous dialogue in order to create a common language with which all can converge their realities.

Donna L. Jacobs

Donna L. Jacobs is Artistic Director and Founder of Baltimore’s Full Circle Dance Company.
Under her direction, the company has won numerous grants and awards and has performed at
festivals throughout the region and around the country. She is also Founder and Director of the Morton Street Dance Center, which has trained dancers in Baltimore for more than 30 years. Her work and leadership have garnered recognition from many sources including the Howard County Arts Council (two-time recipient of the Mark Ryder Award for Choreography), Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance (Ruby Grant recipient), Baker Foundation (bgrant Artist Award), Dream for It Foundation (Excellence in the Arts), and The Baltimore Links (Excellence in the Arts). She was a School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow, 2022-2023.

Jasmin “Jazzo” Walters

Jazzo has been studying visual and performing art her entire life. She wrote her first mixtape at twelve years old using a karaoke machine and cassette dubbing. She has delved into various artistic forms including acting and dance, music and video production, crafts, poetry, and choreography. Some of her notable accomplishments include winning Baltimore Unsigned Hype Artist Competition 2016 with her unique vocal looping and live production skills and being nominated by the Baltimore Crown Awards as Best New Artist and 2017 Vocalist of the Year.

That year she also released her second EP, “Cygnus” which was a collaboration with CYGN,
super producer from Lille, France. She is a Reverbnation CONNECT artist, RAW Artist, Sofar
Sounds alumni, publisher/writer for SESAC, and an International Songwriting Competition
nominee. She has toured the northeast with Grammy-nominated artist, Bernhoft. She is currently creating while supporting the art education non-profit Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center (LTYC) as Director of Operations.

Washington Post Nixes Weekly Local Art Column
by Isa Farfan
Published August 21 in Hyperallergic

Excerpt: The Washington Post eliminated its weekly In the Galleries art column effective immediately, as first reported in BmoreArt and confirmed by Hyperallergic.

In an email sent to several DC-area art exhibition spaces on Monday, August 19, column author and critic Mark Jenkins announced the series would shut down after the last iteration runs in this Sunday’s print edition.

Jenkins, a freelance critic, authored the column for 13 years. It ran online each Friday.

Jenkins’s In the Galleries series focused its criticism on the DC area, providing readers with consistent local art criticism. In a statement to Hyperallergic, a Washington Post spokesperson said that the paper “remains committed to local art coverage, including galleries and museums, across all platforms.” Jenkins declined to comment.

Some think the decision represents a blow to the paper’s local arts coverage.

Rubell Museum DC to Present New Exhibition of Contemporary Art in Museum-Wide Reinstallation this Fall
Press Release :: August 27

The Rubell Museum DC announced today that it will open a new exhibition of contemporary art as part of a museum-wide reinstallation on September 27, 2024. American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire showcases nearly 100 artworks spanning painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and mixed media by over 40 emerging and established artists, all drawn from the Rubells’ unparalleled and ever-growing collection of contemporary art of more than 7,700 works. Each artwork viewed separately stands alone, a vignette within one or more of the three exhibition themes. When considered together, the artworks compose a larger narrative, that of contemporary artists—some born in America, some who made America their home—and their compelling and varied approaches to artmaking. American Vignettes will be on view through Fall 2025.

“Symbols” begins in the museum’s largest gallery, where iterations of flags, eagles, and banners are reimagined, speaking to collective and individual relationships with these symbols and to the artists’ calling to interpret them as their own. The theme of symbols extends to the museum’s lower level, where artists use as metaphor statuary, candle flames, illuminated text, and video to evoke the ephemeral (time) and the eternal (memory). References to historical figures—JFK, John Henry, Sojourner Truth—are attached to several of the works. Artists presented in this section include Natalie Ball, Urs Fischer, David Hammons, Mark Handforth, Glenn Ligon, Rob Pruitt, Sterling Ruby, Vaughn Spann, Piotr Uklański, and William E. Jones.

The central floor focuses on “Society” and breaks the theme down to its most elemental parts, representing the familial, platonic, and intimate ties that create, enrich, and sometimes bind. Photographic portraits, figurative sculpture, and scenes of gatherings on canvas and paper depict connections, some fleeting and others everlasting, all contributing to the makings of society—one community at a time. Featured artists are John Ahearn, Danie Cansino, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Karon Davis, Noah Davis, Alfonso Gonzalez Jr., Doron Langberg, Kerry James Marshall, Reginald O’Neal, Catherine Opie, Dana Schutz, Tschabalala Self, and Henry Taylor.

“Satire” permeates the works presented on the top floor. Via pointed criticism of society’s norms and ills, the artists use text and imagery, at times grotesque, at times more subdued, to edify and inspire change. To quote the late artist Robert Colescott, who served as inspiration for this floor and whose works are featured prominently: “It’s the satire that kills the serpent, you know.” Works by Mario Ayala, Hernan Bas, Nehemiah Cisneros, Robert Colescott, Rubén Esparza, Sharif Farrag, Naomi Fisher, Christian Holstad, Mike Kelley, Josh Kline, Savannah Claudia Levin, Glenn Ligon, Adam McEwen, William Pope.L, Richard Prince, Tseng Kwong Chi, and Kara Walker comprise this section.

“We’re honored to champion these artists and engage our visitors with their diverse perspectives, which reflect the variedness of the American experience,” said Mera Rubell.

American Vignettes marks the third installation at the Rubell Museum DC, which opened in Fall 2022 in the 1906 building of the former Randall Junior High School in Southwest DC, whose alumni included the American icon Marvin Gaye prior to ceasing operations in 1978. The exhibition extends throughout the museum’s 32,000 square feet, which preserves the original layout of the historic school, with classrooms, teacher’s offices, the auditorium, and foyers transformed into galleries. The setting reinforces the role of artists as students and teachers making meaning of our world, and encourages audiences to reflect upon the insights and perspectives communicated through their work.

About the Rubell Museum DC

Located at 65 I Street in the Southwest neighborhood, the Rubell Museum DC brings the Rubell Family’s extensive contemporary art collection to the nation’s capital. Dedicated exclusively to contemporary art, the Rubell Museum DC reinvigorates the 1906 building of the former Randall Junior High School, a historically Black public school in Southwest DC that ceased operations in 1978. The museum, which is free for Washington DC residents, serves as a place for the public to engage with the most compelling national and international artists of our time.

Mera and Don Rubell married in 1964, when Mera was a teacher for Head Start and Don was a first-year medical student; shortly thereafter, they started visiting artists’ studios and collecting art in New York. Their son, Jason Rubell, joined them in 1982 in building the collection, creating the exhibitions, and developing the museums, reflecting the multi-generational family passion for discovering, engaging, and supporting many of today’s most compelling artists.

The Rubell Family Collection was established in 1993 in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, and in 2019 was relocated to the Allapattah neighborhood. Following the move and expansion, the institution was renamed the Rubell Museum to emphasize its public mission and expand access for audiences. The Rubell Museums are also helmed by Juan Valadez, who has worked alongside the Rubells for over two decades and serves as Director of the institutions.

The Rubell Museum’s collection is distinguished by its unprecedented range and depth that has enabled the Museum to organize over 50 exhibitions during the last three decades drawn entirely from its holdings in painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation. These have included such groundbreaking and diverse exhibitions as Against All Odds: Keith Haring (2005), Red Eye: Los Angeles Artists (2006), 30 Americans (2008) (which has since traveled to 24 museums around the country), Beg Borrow and Steal (2009), NO MAN’S LAND (2015) (which traveled to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in 2016), Purvis Young (2018), Yayoi Kusama (2020), and She Said, She Said: Contemporary Artists from the Rubell Museum (2024). Many of these exhibitions have toured to museums internationally and have been accompanied by catalogues.

No Land Beyond Announces Station North Move with Crowdfunding Campaign
Press Release :: August 27

No Land Beyond, Baltimore’s first board game bar, proudly announces its upcoming relocation to Station North, marking an exciting new chapter in its journey. With the support of Central Baltimore Partnership and John Renner of Timshel Development, No Land Beyond is set to unveil a dynamic, expanded space that promises to elevate the city’s first arts and entertainment district.

Established in 2018, No Land Beyond grew from a tiny retail storefront into a community icon, fostering an inclusive, eclectic environment for gamers and non-gamers alike. Beyond its extensive board game collection, the establishment boasts an exceptional cocktail and craft beer program, offering a diverse selection to suit every palate. No Land Beyond is also well known for their excellent event programming, hosting a huge swath of social nights, live performances, independent creator showcases, makers’ markets, and more.

The forthcoming relocation to 108 W. North Avenue (known as the Parlor) represents a significant milestone for No Land Beyond, signaling not just a move, but a bold leap forward. The new space, designed by NLB neighbors PresentCo, will be larger and more comfortable, thoughtfully designed to enhance the overall patron experience. Featuring a full kitchen, the establishment will introduce a tantalizing culinary dimension to its offerings, with a menu designed by “King Glizzy” himself, Casey Jarvis of Glizzy’s Wagyu Dogs.

“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in our journey,” says Michael
Cohn, co-owner of No Land Beyond. “As soon as we started this ‘little-shop-that-could’ six years ago, we knew we had something special. Now we will continue to innovate, and continue to grow creatively, all while staying true to our roots of community engagement, activation, and inclusivity. With the support of Central Baltimore Partnership and Timshel Development, we’re poised to create not only Baltimore’s premiere gaming destination, but also one of Baltimore’s finest bars and event spaces.”

While nearly $400,000 has been secured through a mix of financing, grants, and self-funding, No Land Beyond is also crowdfunding a portion of their venture through Kickstarter, offering an array of locally-designed products for contributors to choose from. “We’ve always been DIY,” says Mark Brown, founder and co-owner. “The first two locations were built on a shoestring budget. We combined our resources and got it done. Community support has always been a foundation of our business. We have friends helping us design the art for the shirts and stickers, and we’re going to have friends pitching in to support the move.”

Originally constructed in 1887 and located between Motor House and North Avenue Market, the Parlor is a former residence and funeral parlor being converted into art studios and private offices as well as a bar/restaurant space for No Land Beyond.

No Land Beyond’s relocation to Station North is poised to invigorate the local landscape, attracting residents and visitors alike to experience its unique blend of gaming, community, and nightlife. As the anticipation builds, stay tuned for further updates on the grand opening and inaugural celebrations.

For more information, contact Michael Cohn at [email protected]
Instagram: @nolandbaltimore

See also:

Board game bar No Land Beyond relocating from Old Goucher to Station North
by Aliza Worthington
Published August 28 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Unique Robinson’s New Book Was Inspired by Being “In Transit”—Literally and Figuratively
by Daniel Scheffler
Published August 28 in Baltimore Magazine

Excerpt: For the first 34 years of her life, artist and poet Unique Mical Robinson didn’t have a car, so she relied on the city and state’s public transit. The at-times unpredictable system of buses, light rails, and subway trains served as a lifeline for Robinson, who grew up in both the Lexington Terrace and Park Heights neighborhoods.

Now, that experience is the inspiration for a new collection of poetry, (Not) In Service, which was written between 2017 and 2022, a time when Robinson was “in transit,” both literally and within herself as a queer artist navigating love, work, identity, and her place in the world.

The collection, featuring dozens of poems and personal photographs across 80 pages, is published by the Maryland-based Homie House Press. This is Robinson’s second book of poetry and it reads like a coming-of-age chronicle, as she reflects on her recovery and sobriety, and emerges, as she says, “more grown and more evolved.”

Jeweler Betty Cooke remembered for bringing style and design to Baltimore
by Ed Gunts
Published August 27 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Artist and jewelry designer Betty Cooke was remembered on Monday for introducing a modern sense of style and design to Baltimore and believing in “the power of art to inspire.”

Nearly 100 people gathered at Ruck’s Funeral Home in Towson to celebrate the life of Betty Cooke, who died on August 13 at the age of 100. The viewing before the memorial service had the tone of a respectful cocktail party, with many of the guests wearing pieces of jewelry that Cooke designed. If they weren’t wearing jewelry she designed, they likely were admiring one of the pieces someone else wore.

“I’m sure many of you have been on an airplane or somewhere and you see her jewelry and you’d go up and say, ‘I love that, that’s Betty Cooke,’ “ said Chris Gaeng, one of Cooke’s nephews and a speaker at the memorial service. “Just the warmth that it gave you, to say that you had something from Betty. Not many of us have that impact on people. And it wasn’t about the jewelry. It was the fact that Betty did it.”

R.I.S.E Arts Center of Baltimore x Jasmin Manning Present: Eubie Blake Mural Reveal & Emerging Artists Pop Up Shop!
Press Release :: August 27

The R.I.S.E Arts Center of Baltimore, in collaboration with Jasmin Manning, is excited to announce the Eubie Blake Mural Reveal and Emerging Artists Pop-Up Shop at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, located at 847 N Howard St, on Thursday, September 12th, at 5pm. Doors will open at 4:45pm, with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to commence promptly at 5pm. Following the ceremony, emerging artists will be vending their work on the second floor of the Eubie Blake Center from 5-8pm.

Join us for a celebration of art and community as we unveil a new mural honoring the legacy of Eubie Blake, created by Jasmin Manning in collaboration with local youth, Symone Hardy and Madeline Ruffieux. After the mural unveiling at 5pm, guests are invited to explore the Emerging Artists Marketplace, where they can discover and purchase unique creations crafted by the talented youth artists. This event is a wonderful opportunity to support the next generation of creators and experience the vibrant energy of Baltimore’s artistic community.

Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in an evening of creativity and inspiration. We look forward to seeing you there!

Get your free tickets today.

James Beard-nominated chef sues Alma Cocina Latina over alleged fraud
by Matti Gellman
Publised August 21 in The Baltimore Banner

Less than a month before being named a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards — a competition honoring the country’s finest culinary minds — chef David Zamudio says he was fired.

The action surprised him. For five years, the executive chef reaped praise for his pork-stuffed arepas, red snapper ceviches and tamarind-glazed gyozas with sweet plantains at Station North’s popular Alma Cocina Latina restaurant. He was one of at least four Venezuelan chefs brought to the eatery in recent years on a notoriously difficult to obtain O-1 visa, for “individuals with exceptional talent.”

Now he’s suing the restaurant and its owners, Irena Stein and her husband, Mark Demshak, over alleged fraud, according to a Baltimore lawsuit filed Aug. 1.

Zamudio claims the owners exploited his labor and tricked him into staying at the restaurant on promises of being a part-owner in the establishment. He was never given a stake in the company, despite being offered a third of the business via emails, letters and texts, according to the lawsuit.

The owners’ statements “were made, knowingly and intentionally, to deceive and defraud Mr. Zamudio,” the lawsuit said.

Stein and Demshak “were just served” on Tuesday and are deferring to their lawyer on how to move forward, according to Tara Shepherd, a spokeswoman for the business.

Zamudio first heard of Alma Cocina Latina while visiting Baltimore as a tourist, he told Atlas Obscura in 2021. His career was already in motion: Zamudio worked in fine dining kitchens across Mexico and Spain, as well as a six-star-rated cruise ship known as the Silversea. A graduate of a culinary program on Venezuela’s Margarita Island, he left the country in search of work.

Poverty rates in Venezuela surged. Stein, who left Venezuela for Stanford University on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1980, told the Baltimore Sun in 2021 that the process of sponsoring Venezuelan chefs like Zamudio and bringing them to the restaurant weighed heavy on her.

It’s not easy. Applicants are required to submit evidence of “extraordinary skills and abilities” in a process that can cost thousands of dollars and take months to complete. The prize is a temporary, up-to-three-year pass that can serve as a strong start to achieving a green card.

More than 60% of Venezuelan households lived in poverty by the time Zamudio was made executive chef of Alma in 2021.

He worked between six and seven days each week as the restaurant settled into a new location in Station North after moving from a prior spot in Canton. He prepared the food, supervised staff and cleaned the eatery, while painting the surrounds and installing shelves, the lawsuit said.

A July 22, 2021, letter referenced in court documents showed Demshak offered Zamudio a third of the business as a reward for allegedly growing the business into a larger enterprise:

“I am the sole owner of Alma, but as of the date of this letter that is no longer the case. You will now own 33% of Alma Cocina Latina LLC… Congratulations and thank you!”

In December that same year, Zamudio texted his supposed partners: “I want to be the owner of alma for my whole life,” he wrote, according to the lawsuit.

But ownership of the restaurant never changed, the suit said. Demshak remained the sole owner until Feb. 10, 2023, when ownership was split, with Stein controlling 40% of the company and Demshak maintaining the other 60%, according to the lawsuit.

Despite Zamudio’s being excluded from the partnership, he was repeatedly referred to as a partner by Stein and Demshak, the lawsuit said.

In a letter of recommendation for Zamudio received on March 22, 2022, Demshak and Stein wrote: “Due to his great contributions to Alma, we have made him a partner!”

In text messages, Demshak and Stein thanked Zamudio for being their partner and alleged to have included him in partner meetings. Demshak relayed the alleged ownership changes to Zamudio’s immigration attorney in a letter in which he called the chef a “one-third owner of Alma.” The remaining two-thirds belonged to Demshak, the lawsuit said.

Demshak also discussed the conditions of Zamudio’s ownership and the amount of profits owed in a July 31, 2023, letter, according to the lawsuit.

Zamudio alleges that he passed on lucrative professional opportunities to continue his work for both Demshak and Stein, who planned to open another restaurant in which Zamudio was offered a chef position and 25% interest. The next-door arepa spot used GoFundMe to collect investments, or crowdfund, more than $80,000 in financing for the eatery. Zamudio is not involved.

The executive chef received his letter of termination on Dec. 30, 2023, “suddenly and without warning,” the lawsuit said, shortly before garnering the restaurant its first James Beard nod; Zamudio was a semifinalist in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category. The restaurant claims that Zamudio has no ownership in the business, according to the lawsuit.

Meanwhile Zamudio claims that the business showed “malicious” and “outrageous” conduct by breaching their contract to share ownership, conflating membership of the LLC with dividing ownership of the company and failing to provide compensation for the promised portion of the profits, despite the alleged financial value Zamudio added to the company, the lawsuit said.

He’s seeking 33% of the restaurant’s value and profits and additional punitive damages of $2 million, the disclosure of the restaurant’s business records starting in July 2021 and a 6% interest on any judgment made by the court.

Zamudio and his attorney Peter Goldman declined to comment.

This story was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebaltimorebanner.com for more.

CEO Note: New Key Bridge Recovery Grant
Newsletter :: August 21

Dear Partner & Supporter,

Today, we are pleased to announce the opening of the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Key Bridge Small Business Support Grants  program, developed in partnership with the Baltimore Community Foundation.

This $5 million initiative is designed to provide funding to intermediary organizations that assist small businesses and communities affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Letters of interest are now being accepted on a rolling basis.

GBC’s Multi-Year Agenda identified a set of collective impact opportunities for our 400 partners to jointly support strengthening our region and respond to critical moments where we’re uniquely positioned to respond.

The Key Bridge served as a vital artery for commerce, linking multiple counties and supporting national economic activity. The loss of the bridge has impacted small businesses in numerous communities across Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County.

Rebuilding of the bridge is still the end goal.

A new bridge adds a global industrial and export asset that will help power our regional economy.

In the interim, this initiative would aid organizations that help small businesses make necessary adjustments to their operations, enhance local business districts, and foster long-term resilience and stability.

This initiative, shaped with input from GBC’s partners who fund and support small businesses, is one of our collective efforts to aid the recovery effort.

The Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Key Bridge Fund is a fund of charitable dollars managed by the Baltimore Community Foundation.

Grants will be awarded to intermediary agencies, which must be 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations with a current or planned footprint in the impacted communities.

Our grant review partners include Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the World Trade Center Institute, the Baltimore Development Corporation, the Anne Arundel Development Corporation, and the Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce and we’re grateful for their support.

Learn more and please help share this opportunity.

Mark Anthony Thomas
President & CEO