Art

“SAME DAY NEW MESSAGE”: This work by Phillip McConnell is part of the “Art Against Racism: Memorial.Monument.Movement” virtual exhibit, which kicks off with a Livestream Launch on Saturday, October 24 at 8 p.m. at artagainstracism.org.

“Art Against Racism” Exhibit Livesteam Launch on Oct. 24

“Art Against Racism: Memorial.Monument.Movement,” the nationwide virtual exhibition created to document the Black Lives Matter art movement, will kick off with a Livestream Launch on Saturday, October 24 at 8 p.m. ET. The 90-minute program, moderated by Art Against Racism founder Rhinold Ponder, will feature live and pre-recorded video of music, poetry, performance, and interviews on the themes of racial and social justice, as well as a virtual video gallery of artwork. The artists behind the artwork will talk about what motivated them and what this moment in time means, and why it is so important to vote.

To tune in to the free virtual event, visit artagainstracism.org.

Featured guests will include poet and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who will give a spoken word performance; artist, writer, and scholar Nell Painter; Philadelphia Mural Arts founder Jane Golden; emerging rapper Echezona, whose music is a rallying cry for social change and racial justice; poets Michelle Black SmithTompkins, Gail Mitchell, and David Herrstrom; folk artist David Brahinsky; Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia; and Kansas City mural artist and Black Summer 2020 curator Harold Smith. There will be live video of public art from muralists in Milwaukee, Trenton, Kansas City, San Diego, Bridgeport, and Newark.

“This is a national grassroots project, a collection of voices across the country, raised against racism by professional visual and performing artists and community activists,” said Ponder, who will host the livestream from the Arts Council of Princeton’s Taplin Gallery. “These voices brought together will have national impact, impressing upon the American people the importance of voting and the swell of indignation, pride, and change in response to Black Lives Matter.”

Since the murder of George Floyd, artworks protesting Black lives lost to police violence have emerged all over the world. “Art Against Racism: Memorial.Monument.Movement” serves as a living archive for preserving the breadth of art inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement. The exhibition, searchable by contributor’s name and geographic location, will continue to be added to through Inauguration Day.

“Community-created art, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, is the powerful voice of history,” says artist/author/educator/ curator and organizer Judith K. Brodsky. “We must preserve these expressions of protest and support. ‘Memorial.Monument.Movement’ is how we can prevent erasure and keep these images alive.”

The Livestream Launch is being produced by Cameron Ferrara, who has been involved with Emmy awardwinning prime time shows like Cash Cab (Discovery), BAFTA award winning documentaries like Rebuilding the World Trade Center (History Channel), and other regional arts festivals and fundraising events, including Art All Night - Trenton 2020 that featured more than 50 artists, musicians, and presenters.

“Art Against Racism: Memorial.Monument.Movement,” in partnership with Rutgers University, has invited artists, both individual and in collaborative groups; community organizations; houses of worship; arts organizations, galleries, and museums to participate. The exhibition includes sculpture, projections, street art, fiber art, spoken word, performance, music, posters, murals, animation, digital projects, crafts, replacements for toppled statues, or other creative forms of expression.

The concept for “Art Against Racism: Memo rial.Monument.Movement” originated in a conversation between Ponder and Brodsky about building on the success of his project, Art Against Racism, created in 2019 as a series of exhibitions. Ponder has had a long career as a lawyer and educator as well as being an artist. Brodsky is a professor emerita at Rutgers University, and an artist who, beginning with the Feminist Art movement of the 1970s, has worked for social justice.

“From the Ground Up” at Hunterdon Art Museum

Hunterdon Art Museum now features “From the Ground Up: Peters Valley School of Craft” through January 10. “From the Ground Up,” will be the first-ever exhibition examining Peters Valley’s 50-year history and key moments that have defined the institution – from its earliest formation as an experimental craft colony, to the building of its renowned Japanese wood-fired or Anagama kiln in 1980, to the prominence of women blacksmiths at Peters Valley in the early 2000s.

The exhibition, curated by Elizabeth Essner, will combine historical ephemera with significant works in fiber, jewelry, ceramics, wood, photography, and metal by artists involved at Peters Valley, as well as on-site artist residencies to allow further engagement with artists working in craftbased materials.

“We’ve been working with the Hunterdon Art Museum and Essner for the past two years to ensure this milestone exhibition includes pieces that communicate the rich history and development of contemporary craft in America,” said Peters Valley Executive Director Kristin Muller. “The interactive artist residencies will also exemplify to visitors the experiential aspects of Peters Valley’s immersive studio workshops.”

“I’m thrilled to be able to shed light on so many stories of artistic transformation that have happened at Peters Valley,” said Essner. “The school has engaged hundreds of artists and thousands of students over its 50-year history, yet its story has never been told. “‘From the Ground Up’ captures the vital spirit and historic contributions of this important craft institution.”

Selected artists whose work will be in the exhibition are Vivian Beer, Bruce Dehnert, Fawn Navasie, Luci Jockel, Kirk Mangus, Emil Milan, Shiro Otani, Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Stephen Shore, Toshiko Takaezu, Louise Todd Cope, MJ Tyson, and Andrew Willner.

Artist residencies during the exhibition will include weaver Cynthia Alberto and her Brooklyn-based weaving studio Weaving Hand, jeweler Lauren Eckert, and woodworker Janine Wang.

Set in the wooded landscape of the Delaware Water Gap National Park in Layton, NJ, Peters Valley was first proposed in 1970 as a planned colony of artists and craftspeople. The resident blacksmiths, ceramists, fiber artists, metalsmiths, woodworkers, and photographers who populated the site’s 18th and 19th-century buildings created a vibrant community engaged in creating. Over time, as Peters Valley’s educational mission moved from the margins to the center, it grew into the craft school it is today, which brings together artists of local, national, and international renown with students for immersive materials-based workshops.

The Hunterdon Art Museum is located at 7 Lower Center Street in Clinton.

Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students; children under 12 are free. Open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit hunterdonartmuseum.org.

“Virtual Art Throwdown” at Contemporary Art Center

The Center for Contemporary Art (The Center) in Bedminster is holding a virtual fundraiser to celebrate its 50 th anniversary. The community is invited to participate in this free event taking place on Friday, October 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The “Virtual Art Throwdown” consists of five teaching artists from The Center competing in a fast-paced and friendly competition creating an original work of art using mystery items selected by attendees. The teaching artists competing will be Joseph Castronnova, Helen Marie Farrant, Andrea Gianchiglia, Wendy Hallstrom, and Oscar Peterson. Wes Sherman will be the master of ceremonies.

Guests and the public will have the chance to bid on the artwork made during the event and work by The Center’s faculty and other artists from The Center.

Guests will also be treated to a performance by artist Frank May who will perform a piece made just for this occasion while creating a sculpture which will be available in the online auction.

The event is free, but guests must R.S.V.P. to receive the Zoom link for the evening and the cocktail recipe.

For more information and to RSVP, visit https://bit. ly/3iEPIlg.

For more about The Center for Contemporary Art, visit ccabedminster.org.

New Virtual Series at New Jersey State Museum

The New Jersey State Museum now presents the Autumn Evenings Series, a new program of live digital events. Join museum educators and curators as they host a lively discussion about a different theme each week, create a signature cocktail, and end the evening with a round of trivia. The sessions are free, but participants must register so they can be sent the private Zoom link. Visit the Events page on the New Jersey State Museum website at nj.gov/state/museum to register.

October 22 brings “Ghosts of NJ Past,” the theme for November 11 is “Contested Debates,” and on November 19 “Feasts, Festivals, and Commemorations” will be explored.

Each event takes place on a Thursday evening at 8 p.m. on Zoom. The events are free, but pre-registration is required. Donations are gratefully accepted by the Museum Foundation and directly support Museum programs and events.

The New Jersey State Museum is currently closed due to the pandemic; however, staff continue working remotely to plan exhibitions and programs, answer research questions, and provide identifications of archaeological and natural history specimens for the public. In addition, work is taking place to ready the Museum for reopening, with reduced capacity, additional cleaning protocols, social distancing, and face coverings required. For more information, visit statemuseum.nj.gov.

Zimmerli Museum Adds New Virtual Programs

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers offers a variety of virtual programs this fall, from longtime favorites to new ways of engaging with other art lovers.

The series Saturday Sparks features two art workshops for adults on Zoom. On October 24, join Wes Sherman for “Impression Collage,” which explores various techniques for rubbings to capture different textures and forms. Inspired by the Zimmerli’s “’It makes me think of that awful day…’ The Natural World in the Anthropocene,” the session includes a brief discussion about several works in the exhibition.

Tom Rutledge presents “Watercolors: At Sea” on November 14, guiding participants in advancing their skills by creating their own interpretations of a nautical scene from the Zimmerli’s collection. No experience is necessary, and all are welcome, but space is limited and sessions ($15-40) fill quickly. Participants must provide their own materials; supply lists are provided following registration. For complete details, visit go. rutgers.edu/artclasses.

The Zimmerli invites the public to a free, virtual screening of Political Advertisement X: 19522020 on October 27. This tenth iteration of the film series by artists Antoni Muntadas and Marshall Reese surveys presidential campaign commercials and traces the impact of political media. Zoom registration is required at go.rutgers.edu/ rutgersPAX.

Following the screening, the artists join a discussion moderated by Stuart Shapiro, associate dean of faculty and professor, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and John Weingart, associate director, Eagleton Institute of Politics, and director, Education Programs and Center on the American Governor.

Art Together offers free family art activities either live on Zoom or recorded to view at your convenience on Zimmerli at Home. Join upcoming sessions on November 7 and December 5. Register (up to program start time) at go.rutgers. edu/arttogether. Artists of all ages are welcome, but sessions are best suited for ages 5 to 13, joined by their grown-ups. Recorded sessions are posted on Zimmerli at Home, including projects inspired by still life works in the museum’s collection and the exhibition Mood Books: The Children’s Stories of Alvin Tresselt and Roger Duvoisin.

The Zimmerli remains closed to the public and inperson programs are suspended until further notice. News regarding operations will be posted at zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu.

Area Exhibits

Check websites for information on safety protocols.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “In Our Nature” through November 1. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.

Arts Council of Prince-

ton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Art and Music: Touching Sound” through October 24. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 1:30-4:30 p.m. artscouncilofprinceton. org.

D&R Greenway Land

Trust, One Preservation Place, has the ongoing virtual galleries “Trail of Breadcrumbs: Nature in Fairytales” and “Portraits of Preservation: James Fiorentino Art.” The center is currently closed to the public. drgreenway.org.

Ellarslie, Trenton’s City Museum in Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, Trenton, has “The Conversation Continues” and “On the Forefront: Trenton’s Junior 1, 1916,” both in the museum and online. Timed tickets required. ellarslie. org.

Historical Society of

Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “A Virtual Tour of Hamilton’s Princeton” and the “History@Home” series. princetonhistory.org.

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Dreaming of Utopia: Roosevelt, New Jersey” through January 24 and the online exhibit “Portrait of Place: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints Of New Jersey, 1761–1898.” Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. morven.org.

Old Barracks Museum,

101 Barrack Street, Trenton, has the ongoing virtual exhibits “When Women Vote — The Old Barracks and the Anti-Suffrage Movement” and “Sampler Collection.” The museum is now open to the public. Advance tickets are required. barracks.org.

Phillips’ Mill, 2619 River Road, New Hope, Pa., has “91st Annual Juried Art Show” online through November 1. The mill is currently closed to the public. phillipsmill.org.

Princeton University Art Museum has a virtual tour of “Life Magazine and the Power of Photography” along with many online events. The museum is currently closed to the public. artmuseum.princeton.edu.