Graduate chosen for artwork mission at Highmark Stadium

A SUNY Fredonia alumnus is among the many artists chosen for a particular mission on the Buffalo Bills new stadium.

Jalen Wright, a 2018 graduate, will likely be a part of the Buffalo Bills Public Art Program at Highmark Stadium offered by Victory Live.

The Buffalo Bills Public Art Program brings collectively greater than 45 artists and artwork groups, and hundreds of group members, to create a everlasting, site-specific artwork assortment all through the brand new venue. The program is designed to exhibit the Bills group’s “commitment to supporting and uplifting Western New York’s diverse communities through ongoing cultural investment.”

Wright, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts and New Media with a focus on Photography at Fredonia, will collaborate with fellow photographers Brendan Bannon and Brandon Watson on the Highmark mission. The work will likely be unveiled when the stadium opens for the 2026 Buffalo Bills season.

The accomplished assortment will characteristic art work in 40 places all through Highmark Stadium, together with sculptural ceiling installations, large-scale murals, and wall-based works of assorted sizes. These thematic, public-facing items will change into a part of the stadium’s everlasting assortment.

The program course of included three separate open calls particularly for native artists, protecting ceiling art work, wall-based artwork, and murals. In complete, 433 functions had been obtained, with greater than 300 people signing up for this system’s public artwork mailing record.

Wright is an African American photographer, photojournalist, and better schooling skilled primarily based in Buffalo. His work spans storytelling by way of each visible artwork and documentary images, capturing “raw emotion and authenticity in every frame.” As a photojournalist, Wright has contributed to main shops together with The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Vanity Fair.

In addition to working as freelance photographer, Wright is Assistant Director of Academic Standards and Coordinator for Academic Intervention at SUNY Buffalo State University. He earned a grasp’s diploma in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from SUNY Buffalo State in 2020.