Dismissed

DISMISSED

Black artist drops bias lawsuit against Ann Arbor Art Fair

By WILLIAM B.TREML

NEWS STAFF REPORTER__

A lawsuit filed last July by a Ann Arbor Street Art Fair was dismissed Thursday in U.S. District Court here.

Jon 0. Lockard sued after an art fair jury rejected his portraits for display at last summer’s fair. The jury, composed of six local residents, screens the work of artists who apply for stalls at the annual event. Lockard was one of 38 veteran artists who had their 1982 offerings rejected by art fair officials. Jury members said Lockard’s latest works did not meet the criteria and standards which all artists must meet to gain admittance to the fair.

Lockard, whose paintings had appeared at art fairs here for the past 20 years, claimed his rejection was racial and political and damaged his professional reputation. He also charged that the all-white jury

could not appreciate the black themes presented in his work.

Lockard originally asked federal Judge Charles Joiner for an order requiring art fair officials to admit his works. The judge denied the request but recommended that more black artists be admitted to future fairs.

THE REMAINING PORTION of the suit which was dismissed Thursday involved Lockard’s request for a permanent injunction to require art fair officials to revise their selection process. The Ypsilanti artist also had asked for compensatory damages for his rejection. last summer.

The suit ended with the signing of a “stipulated voluntary dismissal” by Michael Gunther, attorney for the art fair, and Kirk Berggren, Lockard’s lawyer Joiner approved the dismissal document.

The suit was dismissed “without prejudice,” a term meaning Lockard could reinstitute it at a later time.