Pittsburgh artist Tom Mosser doesn't personally know Marc Fogel, but he knew he needed to do something to help.
"I was reading an article, there was a photograph taken by a friend of his after he was detained. He had this really nice, pleasant Mona Lisa closed-lipped smile looking at the camera. He just looked so kind and gentle," Mosser said.
Fogel, a teacher originally from Butler, has been detained in Russia since August 2021. He was arrested at an airport for possession of medical marijuana and sentenced to 14 years in a hard labor colony. Though Fogel's story received some traction surrounding the Brittney Griner case, he has yet to be marked as wrongfully detained by the federal government.
Mosser has previously hosted art events in the Pittsburgh area, and thought another could raise awareness for Fogel's cause.
"We're shining an artistic spotlight on Marc Fogel's situation, and we hope it casts a long and powerful shadow," he said. "I'm just overwhelmed by the response."
The "Make A Marc" event on Saturday, April 1 will feature 100 artists. Every piece in the free exhibit will feature Marc or his story in some way.
Pieces include a clay bust, screen prints and an action figure.
The event is at the Energy Innovation Center. It is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be open from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.