Marc Newsome

Dirty 30! is a sculpture and monument to Houston’s longstanding domino culture. Across backyards, cookouts, family reunions, college campuses, and house parties, dominoes have served as a means of fellowship, competition, and community. In the game, players take turns matching the dots on the dominoes, earning points from the exposed ends of the growing chain. A score of 30 is rare, and “Dirty 30!” is the jubilant expression called out when a player achieves it. 

The sculpture commemorates a moment Newsome witnessed during a domino game at Project Row Houses in 2019, when legendary Houston artist and domino enthusiast Jesse Lott scored a Dirty 30. Newsome photographed Lott immediately afterward, preserving the moment as both personal memory and cultural record. This arrangement of dominoes transforms that experience into a monument to the social traditions, shared histories, and enduring spirit of Houston’s African American communities. It celebrates dominoes not simply as a game, but as a space where stories are exchanged, relationships are strengthened, and cultural knowledge is passed between generations. 

Newsome is a photographer, filmmaker, educator, and visual artist whose work explores urban change, particularly the evolving landscapes of African American communities. Through photography, video collage, and graphic design, he documents the intersections of human activity, history, nature, and time. His ongoing I Love 3rd Ward series reflects his commitment to community, storytelling, and the preservation of place.