Artists “Make a Marc” to Bring Marc Fogel Home from Russian Prison for Pot

Portraits of Marc Fogel by Sasha Phillips, Tom Mosser and others at the 4/1 "Make a Marc" Show 

Nearly 100 artists contributed works to a well attended “Make a Marc” art show in Pittsburgh on April 1 to bring attention to the case of Marc Fogel, a 61-year-old high school history teacher from Oakmont, PA who is serving a 14-year sentence in Russia for bringing ½ oz. of medical marijuana into that country in August 2021.

In attendance were family and friends of Fogel, including his 94-year-old mother; his attorney Aleksandra “Sasha” Phillips; faculty from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies; and Field Representative Robbie Matesic of Sen. Bob Casey’s office, who read a statement from the Senator about his ongoing commitment to bringing Fogel home, calling him “a passionate and talented educator and a devoted husband and father.”

Marc’s sister Lisa Hyland said the family speaks to the US State Department weekly and they tell her every week how many letters have been received in support of Fogel’s release. Supporters are asked to write to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asking for Fogel to be designated as “wrongfully detained” in the way that WNBA star Brittney Griner was designated after she was imprisoned for bringing cannabis vape pens into Russia, before her release in a prisoner swap late last year. You can also Sign a Change.org petition to Free Marc Fogel.

The event happened just as Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gerhkovich was detained in Russia on espionage charges, leading the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to publish an editorial titled, “Reporter arrested in Russia should remind White House of Marc Fogel." Last month, the Best Documentary Oscar went to “Navalny” about the imprisoned rival to President Putin.

Mr. Dan contributed an action figure.

Randy Backes, Fogel’s roommate at Indiana University of PA, flew in from Huntington Beach, CA for the event and read a poem he’d written for Marc that ended, “It’s a mighty long time for a victimless crime.” Backes said Fogel lived on a boat in Washington DC while teaching inner city students, with whom he had a natural rapport. 

According to Backes, Fogel earned his Masters in Education from the American University in Guadalajara and taught for several years in Kuala Lumpur, Columbia, and Oman, before teaching for 9 years in Russia. He had just been home for his 60th birthday celebration in Oakmont and was flying back with his wife Jane to teach his 10th and final year in Russia when he was caught with “a fistful of marijuana,” which he brought along to treat back pain for which he has a doctor’s recommendation. Russian propaganda put out that Fogel was bringing in marijuana to distribute to schoolchildren.

“He’s in jail for 14 years for something that … in California you can go to the store and buy like a bag of Doritos. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime,” Backes told the Tribune-Review.

Susan Wagner's piece, "Freedom"

Phillips, who is also an artist and produced a video record of the painting she contributed to the show, collaborated with Pittsburgh artist Tom Mosser on the “Make a Marc” show, which organizers hope to tour to raise awareness nationally about Fogel’s plight. Fogel’s cousin Artie Vasbinder was one who was moved by the exhibit, noting that although the artists don’t know Marc, they managed to capture him in their portraits. “That’s what we do,” said Susan Wagner, who contributed both a painting and a sculpture to the show. “This isn’t just art, it’s art advocacy,” she added. “Art is a universal language.”

“Art is a great tool that can take on important political and legal issues and draw awareness to certain underrepresented people or events or to the ongoing injustices,” said Phillips on the sign accompanying her artwork in the show. “Art can also inspire and empower people to become the driving force behind some much-needed changes — it rallies us to get up, show up, and to make our communities better and safer for their members, regardless of their current location. Just like Pittsburgh is rallying to bring one of their own home.”

"A Prisoner's Dream" by James Simon

James Simon's contribution “A Prisoner’s Dream” was inspired by Very Important Pothead Alexandre Dumas's story "The Man in the Iron Mask" and co-sponsored by myself and Pittsburgh NORML. He said, “Art can be such a compelling advocacy tool by fostering a grass roots and creative way of focusing attention. As a member of Amnesty International since my undergrad days at Allegheny College, I was inspired to join this effort. Not only because of my hometown roots in the burgh, but also, as a new expat abroad, this case is sobering and hits close to home.”

Griner and Fogel are not the only Americans who have been used as political pawns by Putin’s administration over overblown, petty marijuana charges. The announcement of Griner’s detention last March came on the heels of a ruling whereby an Israeli court froze the Russian government ownership of a Jerusalem church, reportedly part of a deal struck in 2020 for the release of American-born Israeli citizen  Naama Issachar, who was convicted for smuggling 10 grams of hashish through the Moscow airport. She had been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

US Rep. Mike Kelly of Butler, PA where Fogel was born has also called for his release. In February, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) led a group of eight other lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary Blinken about Fogel. Yet the day after the art show, Blinken tweeted that he spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to "convey our grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist [Gerhkovich]. I called for his release and for the release of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan." No mention of Marc. 

“We’re going to take this to the White House,” Hyland said. “We’re going to take this art work with us and hopefully get people down there a little more excited about this case.” A protest is being planned for July 15 at 1 PM at the White House in DC. 

Sign a Change.org petition to Free Marc Fogel.