Commemorative display memorializing multimedia artist and former Fullerton College Faculty member Nixson Borah outside Fullerton College Art Gallery

Inside a glass display case outside Room 1004 at Fullerton College, candles of varying sizes sit in front of a small commemorative display memorializing multimedia artist and former Fullerton College faculty member, Nixson Borah. His silver-print piece, titled “Dark Room Dancer 1,” inspired the College Art Gallery’s current exhibition, “Dark Room: Selections from the Fullerton College Art Collection.” Sadly, Borah passed away the same day the gallery’s permanent collection showcase opened. After receiving word about the artist’s death from gallery technician Seija Rohkea, I decided to interview Jasmine McNeal, Professor of Museum Studies at Fullerton College, and art gallery curator, and Stephen Klippenstein, Fullerton College Art Department Chair, about their memories of Nixson Borah, and how his work inspired and informed curatorial decisions behind the “Dark Room” exhibition.

Borah, who worked across a wide array of media ranging from drawing and painting to printmaking and photography, passed away at the age of 87 in San Diego on September 4, 2025. He taught different studio art classes at Fullerton College for 41 years and founded the Art Department’s printmaking program in the 1970s. From many accounts, he seems to be fondly remembered by former students and colleagues. Text from former faculty member Bob Jensen displayed in the memorial outside the gallery explains that, among Borah’s many accomplishments, he taught the first Honors Creative Arts class with Jim Henderson (Theatre) and Darwin Frederickson (Music). Borah and his classes also designed and produced masks for the Fullerton College Theatre production of “Oedipus Rex.”

“Nixson was a long-term faculty member, and we have many works by him in our permanent collection – two of them featured in this exhibition, with one of them as the title of the exhibit,” wrote Rohkea via email.

McNeal, who curated “Dark Room,” explained that Borah started teaching at Fullerton College in 1962 and retired in 2003.

She said, “We have “Dark Room Dancer 1” and “Kali Surfer” in the show. I believe both works feel a bit more figuratively abstract and highlight a more deconstructed view of the human form. I enjoy how Borah’s work feels honest and also playful. Personally, I did not get the pleasure of meeting him, but for this show, I do believe I got a better understanding of his practice as an artist. He was amazing at showing the vulnerability of life and seemed interested in the human form. I would describe Borah’s work as expressive, honest, layered, and vulnerable.”

When asked why she decided to title this gallery exhibition after one of Borah’s works, McNeal responded, ““Dark Room Dancer 1” really caught my eye when curating the show. I love the detail of the man in the forefront and this figure (whether man, or creature, or spirit) sort of lurking behind it. I believe it set the tone for the show, highlighting the ebbs and flows of humanity and the many moments where being human feels otherworldly. I also wanted to highlight how diverse our collection is, not just through medium, but also content.”

Since 1971, Fullerton College has had a permanent collection of art for the gallery to draw on. Current Art Department Chair Stephen Klippenstein remembers Nixson Borah as his neighbor.

Stephen Klippenstein, Fullerton College Art Department Chair, discusses Nixson Borah’s piece Dark Room Dancer 1

“His family grew up on the same block as I did, so I was friends with his daughter. Later on, when I was a student here at Fullerton College, he was my life drawing instructor,” said Klippenstein. “He was just a really great mentor. I got my degree here at Fullerton College, and I went on to get my Bachelor’s Degree at Art Center. I think without Mr. Borah’s help, I don’t know that I would’ve gotten into art school, so I’m deeply grateful for that.”

When asked what Borah was like as a teacher, Klippenstein said, “He was a character; always very, very warm and welcoming. Very much a mentor to everyone. My one memory of him was I had him for a life drawing class, and I was really, really struggling to draw hands. Mr. Borah came up behind me and whispered in my ear and said, ‘if you can draw hands and feet, you can draw anything.’ He was just a very warm, welcoming man.”

“His artwork if you look at it just spans a lot of different media. He was always very experimental in what he wanted to do. The piece we have here in the gallery with our show, which is very much inspired by his work, melds photography with also hand drawing,” said Klippenstein while examining Borah’s 20 x 16 inch black and white silver print, “Dark Room Dancer 1.”

Klippenstein specifically sought out Borah’s work from the art department’s permanent collection to hang in his office because Borah was such a mentor to him. He said, “I always want to kind of remember who got me to where I am. The pieces I have in my office right now are essentially drawings, so he spanned many different mediums. When I was a student here, he was always experimenting. I remember doing many projects with a Xerox copier…He was always just intrigued by new media and tried to work it into the curriculum.”

When I asked McNeal what she hopes people will take away after viewing the Gallery’s exhibition, she said, “I hope viewers see how expansive our collection is, but also how diverse in content it is as well. I hope people use the space to feel something, and mostly, I hope they feel welcomed in the space and know that art is truly for everyone. I really hope they can feel Borah’s presence.”

The exhibition, “Dark Room: Selections from the Fullerton College Art Collection,” will be on view inside the Fullerton College Art Gallery until October 25.
The Gallery is open Monday to Thursday from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm. Admission is always free.

A remembrance ceremony for Nixson Borah will be taking place on October 8, 2025.