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NEW YORK – National talk host, artist and author Rob Redding Wednesday will address Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for LGBTQIA+ History Month’s “Artist Spotlight: Art in Activism.”
“I am honored to be asked to speak at my alma mater,” he said. ” This speaks to the power of audio, art and my work as an author.”
Redding will discuss celebrating his 30 years in broadcasting – celebrating this month 10 years as the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted – and his 15th No. 1 bestselling queer-focused book Unquotable. Unquotable is filled with powerful illustrations created by Redding, while his witty writings unravel issues of race, class, politics and sexuality.
Redding, who is the first out Black bisexual talk host lives in New York, has been highlighted for his innate ability to merge his stinging talk commentary with terse text and vivid provocative paintings.
In August he was featured in the critically-acclaimed New Criterion for his artwork “Kenosha 7: Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow, Pow and Jacob Blake’s Life is Changed Forever.”
Redding has been covered by the New York Times newspaper for his tough stance against Gov. Ron Desantis for his “don’t say gay” agenda. His reflective work “Bad Words,” which was meant to bring attention to “don’t say gay”, was covered by Black Star News at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue Artwalk in the spring.
Redding also just appeared on the cover of Consciousness Magazine in June for his art advocacy of Out of Africa Theory. The art work entitled “Origination” portrays all people coming from Blacks following a sex act, which was rebuffed as being too “explosive” to show at the Gay Center in New York.
“There are still visual stories that some folks don’t want told about race in the art world and if it is controversial to talk about that then I am fine with being called controversial,” he said.
Redding has been named one of the “100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America.” He has a Masters in Communication from Marshall University and a Masters in Fine Art from Pratt.
The event will be held at Pratt’s Student Union in Brooklyn on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
