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ROCHESTER TEN | TAURUS SAVANT

RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ.
RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ.
RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ.

Age: 33
Hometown: Far Rockaway, Queens
Current residence: Rochester
Occupation: Artist; musician

Taurus Savant is an artistic jack-of-all-trades. An eclectic singer-songwriter who has performed at the Little Café and the Pittsford Community Library. A painter whose mixed media work, including photography and poetry, has been showcased at Behind the Glass gallery. A resident poet going into his fifth year mentoring youth with Flower City Arts Center’s after school program for RCSD students, the 678 Photo Club.

And he has mastered one form that’s often underrated: the art of showing up.

“Taurus is probably the most supportive person in the Rochester arts community,” says Amanda Chestnut, fellow artist and producer of the chapbook “In This Moment,” which has published Savant’s nonfiction (because yes, he also writes prose). “When you have an event, he’s one of the people you know is gonna show up for you.”

Born in New York City but raised in Rochester, Savant knows firsthand the challenges of making a living as an artist, especially at the intersection of being black, queer and poor. Growing up, his main exposure to the arts was getting in trouble for doodling in his notebook.

RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

After two rejections from School of the Arts and dropping out of the theater program at Monroe Community College, Savant has followed his whims and passions to make art on his own terms. His self-education began with a childhood love of checking out the Merriam-Webster 2001 dictionary from the library. Now, he sprinkles his easy listening songs with words like “cloying,” “altruistic” and “despondent.” He finds inspiration for his self-produced music in everyday life, from the robotic “wait” signal at the intersection of Chestnut and Broad to the daily struggles of capitalism. He’s often asked to perform “Bitch, it’s Snowing,” a smooth jazz ode to Rochester winters, regardless of the season.

While Savant’s dream is to survive and thrive by making art, he never loses sight of larger issues affecting the community. “I move in the sense of equity,” he said. “I move in the sense of making sure underrepresented communities get opportunities to do something that they love and get paid fairly for it.”

While Savant has grace for every artist trying to make a buck, he urges other artists to consider the big picture. When he sees murals on expensive properties, he often wonders if the artist who helped beautify the building can afford to live in it.

This passion led him to be one of the early organizers of what is now Rochester Arts United, a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to sharing resources and opportunities with underrepresented artists. He also was an outspoken advocate with People for Parcel 5 — for those who have enjoyed that green space, perhaps during Rochester Fringe Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival or just while eating lunch on a sunny day, he’s one of the people to thank.

Savant is also OK with not being everyone’s cup of tea, as long as he’s being true to himself. He fondly recalls going to City Council wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, calling out inequities where he sees them.

“I’m an audacious human being,” he said. “I’m never afraid to ‘say the thing.’”

One of Savant’s proudest moments recently was seeing and hearing reactions to work done by his youth mentees in the 678 Photo Club. He returned to the Gallery Obscura exhibit at the George Eastman House over and over again, eavesdropping on positive feedback from visitors so he could pass it along to the young artists.

“Ultimately, being visible in these spaces shows other people who are like-minded, who share other experiences, ‘you are welcome in this space,’” he said. “I’m growing the proverbial garden so everybody can eat.” — KATHERINE VARGA