Late-Alumnus Leaves Remarkable Art Collection to Rutgers

The estate of Blaise A. Curcio ’66, a Rutgers alum and a former faculty member, has gifted eight works by artist Charles Fazzino to the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM).

“When I heard that Rutgers was going to have pieces, I was very excited,” said Fazzino, who is known for his vibrant 3D style. “I love having my artwork in places that are not art galleries because a lot of people walk into an art gallery and feel a level of intimidation.”

Fazzino, son of a sculptor and a shoe designer, developed his signature 3D style in 1982, inspired by his mother’s pop-up books. He is an official artist for the Super Bowl, created artwork for Major League Baseball, and even designed a 30-foot mural and a 12-foot airplane sculpture adorned with pop-out imagery of cities around the world displayed in Terminal 8 at JFK Airport in New York. His dental-themed pieces began after a wisdom tooth extraction, sparked by a conversation with his cousin, a dental hygienist. “My cousin's voice resonated in my head, and when I was [under], I was seeing a dancing wisdom tooth,” Fazzino recounted. Over time, that whimsical molar became a recurring motif in his dental pieces. He also began incorporating Warner Brothers and Disney characters, which perhaps was part of the appeal for Curcio, a dentist and an avid Disney enthusiast.

“He must have had more than 200 Disney figurines and watches,” said Curcio’s cousin, Cheryl O’Keefe. In addition to Disney memorabilia, Curcio collected duck decoys, antiques, CDs, religious items, and grandfather clocks. Curcio’s love for collecting was matched by his passion for teaching. “Actually, he wanted to be a teacher,” said O’Keefe. As the oldest in his family and the first to attend college, Curcio pursued dentistry at his mother’s urging but still found ways to follow his calling as an educator. After earning his dental degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey—now Rutgers—he began his career with an internship at Florida State Prison, followed by a pediatric residency at Abington Hospital in Pennsylvania. He later practiced in Queens before joining Fairleigh Dickinson University Dental School as a faculty member and eventually returning to Rutgers in 1998 to teach dentistry.

“We are lucky to have such an amazing collection from an incredible artist given to us by one of the most dedicated faculty I have seen,” said Dean Cecile A. Feldman. “Dr. Curcio always enjoyed meeting with students, and these pieces will be a vehicle for generations of students to learn about his generosity and commitment to art, teaching, and our institution."

He furthered his own education with a master’s degree in psychology and human development, became a sign language interpreter, and authored three dental textbooks. His accomplishments earned him the Grayson Scholarship from his undergraduate institution and multiple honors from Rutgers, including the Psi Omega Clinical Award. After retiring, he worked with high school students to inspire them to pursue a career in dentistry through Delta Dental’s programs.

His high school friend and art teacher, Judi Krongel, recalled Curcio’s outreach efforts to promote dental health in New Jersey schools. He hosted a poster contest for students, and the winning students came to RSDM to receive their awards and see their artwork hanging at the dental school. “If you asked him anything having to do with dentistry, he knew exactly what to do and what it was about,” Krongel said. She also emphasized his compassion for patients with whom he’d joke and make them feel at ease. Outside of dentistry, Curcio had eclectic interests—music, travel, history, writing, helping friends and family—as well as a keen eye for interior design and collecting art.

His office at RSDM was painted in dark Christmas green, a nod to his favorite holiday, his colleague, John Wisniewski, mentioned at Curcio’s eulogy. He noted Curcio’s love for Disney and Disneyland—his happy place. “As I continue to teach ..., I reflect on my association and learning experience with Blaise as my professor, my mentor, and my friend,” he said. “He was truly a great educator and expert in his field.”

His former student Herminio Perez, now assistant dean for campus life at RSDM, agreed. “He was very approachable, always available to the students, and took care of their needs,” Perez said. “He was one of those kinds of professors who taught through visualization and doing drawings. He was an outstanding artist.”