What's Newark Got to Do With It?

What does a Lego city have in common with a jazz improvisation? For artist Dominant Dansby, everything. In this episode of What's Newark Got to Do With It?, guest host Ara Tucker sits down with Dansby to explore the “constructural” logic behind his abstract collages: work that channels the energy of building, the discipline of meditation, and the spiritual weight of materials gathered from the edges of other people's creative lives. From growing up in Essex County, NJ to working as a studio assistant to the artist Willie Cole, Dansby offers a rare, unhurried look at what it takes to catch an idea before someone else does. Catch Dominant at the Outsider Art Fair, March 19-22, 2026, The Metropolitan Pavilion, NYC – Booth A1, and watch this conversation before you go.

About the Podcast: WhatsNewarkGotToDoWithIt.com is hosted by Roger C. Tucker III and it explores the cultural impact and life-long influences of Newark, NJ on artists, historians, authors, curators and other cultural thought leaders from/of the Brick City.

About Your Guest Host: Ara Tucker writes about art, culture, and identity. She majored in Art History and Visual Arts at Princeton University, earned her JD from NYU School of Law, and is an alumna of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. She has published three novels. Her advisory practice, Stories Work, is rooted in the belief that the stories we carry shape what we can see and what we believe is possible. She serves on the MoMA PS1 Board of Directors and is the creator and host of I'm Here Too, a podcast exploring the intersections of art, culture, creativity, and identity. Ara comes to What's Newark Got to Do With It? as the daughter of Roger C. Tucker III, founder of Tucker Contemporary Art and proud Newark native, which means she's been hanging out with him at galleries, museums, and art fairs for over four decades.