Thanks to a Concordia connection, Eric Fallen brings a hidden talent to light

Eric Fallen, BA 93, never set out to become an art dealer. The Concordia communication studies grad built his career as a playwright and screenwriter, crafting stories for the stage and screen. Yet, in February 2025, he found himself at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, representing artist Adhemar Ahmad — an old friend of fellow Concordia grad Russ Makofsky, BComm 07.

Months earlier, after Makofsky approached Fallen about renting his gallery space for a weekend to exhibit Ahmad’s work, Fallen visited Ahmad’s East Harlem home and was struck by the artworks he saw leaning on the wall.

“I realized that he had remarkable talent,” says Fallen. “He deserved more than a token weekend show.”

After 35 years of creating art in relative obscurity, Ahmad unveiled his paintings in a formal art setting for the first time. By the end of the fair’s opening day, three of his pieces had sold. By the third day, he was receiving praise from the senior curator of the Brooklyn Museum and engaging in a lively dialogue with the Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz.

‘It’s all about capturing something real’

Fallen’s journey began in Concordia’s Department of Communication Studies, where he developed his storytelling skills and discovered the joys of creative collaboration.

“Concordia gave me a space to explore different ways of telling stories,” he says. Fallen gravitated towards screenwriting and theatre, passions that would shape his career in the years to come.

After spending a few post-graduation years in Toronto, he moved to New York City, where he established himself as a playwright and screenwriter. His plays have been published by Samuel French, and a film he wrote and co-produced premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Fallen’s interests have always extended beyond just writing, which led him to open Peninsula Gallery in New York City in 2013.

“I’ve always believed that storytelling isn’t confined to one medium,” he says. “It can be theatre, film or even visual art — it’s all about capturing something real and bringing it to people in a way that resonates.”

Connecting through Concordia’s NYC alumni chapter

Fallen and Makofsky’s collaboration on Ahmad’s career launch was a natural fit. While they didn’t cross paths at Concordia, their shared alumni connection brought them together.

Makofsky, a dedicated member of Concordia’s alumni chapter in New York, has long been active in fostering creative and philanthropic projects.

“Russ has this nature where he champions people who are underrepresented and deserving recognition,” said Fallen. “So, together, we got behind Adhemar.”

Makofsky first met Ahmad in 2007 on a street corner in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. What began as a shared love for chess evolved into a friendship, with Makofsky advocating for Ahmad’s creative pursuits over the years.

“When Ahmad called me to help him show his work, I immediately connected him with Eric, a dear friend from our New York alumni chapter,” says Makofsky, who recently received the International Alumni Award from the Concordia University Alumni Association. “As they say, the rest is history.”

Ahmad’s work resonated with audiences at the Outsider Art Fair. The event, which highlights self-taught and underrepresented artists, was the ideal platform for his debut. Fallen played a key role in presenting the pieces, engaging with collectors and helping to position Ahmad within the art world.

“Adhemar got a great amount of exposure, and it was very exciting,” Fallen says. “People responded the way I responded — recognizing his great skill and talent as an artist.”