About this Event
Project for Empty Space, in collaboration with the City of Newark’s Division of Arts and Culture, and Newark-based artists Armisey Smith and Rachel Fawn Alban, have transformed the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Interstate 280 off-ramp in Newark, New Jersey with their latest mural titled The Golden Life. This came together after the two creatives hosted a free artmaking workshop in the spring of 2023 that invited women and girls of all ages to participate in the creation of the artwork. A celebration for the project will take place on Saturday, May 4th at 11 AM at 188 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Newark, NJ.
This project is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative, which responds to the growing number of cities around the world embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to enliven and improve safety in their streets through interventions on crosswalks, plazas, and other transportation infrastructure. The location was identified as it is a major intersection of travel (pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles, and those commuting through Broad Street Station.
The Golden Life highlights women, from youth to elders, who live in the neighborhoods near the intersection. Each portrait, presented as a large-scale black and white photograph with a radiant gold nimbus, illuminates the greatness of Newark women and their essential, multifaceted roles. Floods of color and weaving lines share the story of our collective vibrancy and linked energy- our sisterhood. In addition to the mural, an audio component will be presented that shares the voices of participating femme identified Newark voices.
“This public art cuts through the sounds of our city and speaks clearer than any sidewalk conversation through its profound, shared experience,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “It unifies us around our awareness of how Newark’s women and girls propel the whole city into a place of peace, power, and prosperity. It’s fitting that these larger-than-life collages were crafted in artmaking workshops by Newark’s larger-than-life women and girls, who themselves are a living collage of Newark’s spirit.”
“Joyful stories of women and girls of color are too often left untold and unseen due to systemic racism and other inequalities in our society. As artists, we want to reinforce women's and girls' strength, beauty, and purpose through the public lens, where we can effectuate change via public art. The Golden Life mural pays homage by portraying larger-than-life portraits crowned with a gold nimbus honoring each person's radiant individuality. The painted elements of the mural offer various blues, symbolic of serenity, stability, inspiration, and wisdom, amplified with the intensity of the photos. The use of blue also symbolizes the vastness of the sky and the richness of the ocean, both associated with the power of womanhood. The lines in each blue motif represent time and the linear connections of sisterhood and the community. Honoring their individual stories, combined with the interconnectivity of the elemental power of womanhood, is the impetus of the collaborative creation of the The Golden Life mural.” says Armisey and Rachel collectively when asked about the project.
“Project For Empty Space has always been a fierce advocate for femme narratives in public space, and this mural is a testament to that. We will continue to advocate for those without a voice through the arts and various artist-led projects. We are only just getting started,” said Jasmine Wahi and Rebecca Jampol, the Co-Founders of Project for Empty Space.
Portraits include Adele Rae Hayes Harris, Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Brenda Stover, Denise Toney, Kiymora Smith, Laila Gillespie, Luna Garcia, Lola Garcia Itzel Garcia, Reine Campbell Quincy Campbell, Rocio Magana, Tamia Thomas, and Zora Stover.
This work was created with the support of assisting artist Jo-El Lopez; workshop leaders Angel Bellaran, Kween Moore, Mouna Moussa, and Tiffany Salas; and installation team Randy Hayes Harris, Luis Lopez, Mark Hartmann, Ralph Jungo, and Renaldo Montan.
The Golden Life Mural was completed in late January 2024. The project joins a series of Project for Empty Space-led murals that center female visibility and vigor.
—
About Project for Empty Space
Led by Jasmine Wahi and Rebecca Pauline Jampol, Project for Empty Space (PES) is a multifaceted arts organization in downtown Newark, NJ, and downtown Manhattan, NY. PES is a woman-run, femme-powered, People of the Global Majority/BIPOC, Queer, and unapologetically radical ecosystem for creatives. Today, PES provides safe, equitable spaces for artistic innovation and complex public engagement by supporting artists whose work is oriented toward social discourse. Our programs lean towards discourses that have been historically and systemically erased such as marginality, inequity, and visibility. In our efforts to support socially-oriented artists, we maintain a commitment to holding space for radical future-making.
About Armisey Smith
Armisey Smith is a native of Brooklyn, New York, living in Newark, NJ. Armisey earned a BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design and an MPS in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. Armisey’s mother is the driving force and inspiration to continue and succeed her artistic practice. Armisey believes her skills are an asset in arts administration, education, and curation. Her amalgamation of skills has afforded various opportunities to collaborate with essential stakeholders and community-based organizations in New York and New Jersey, serving primarily marginalized communities for over 30 years. She is the co-owner of Art With All, an art studio in Montclair, NJ, working with a cohort of visual art instructors who teach persons with Disabilities. Her artistic commitment expands into areas that delve into systemic oppression. Her prominent subjects illuminate the plight of black women and other women of color from past to present. She also believes in producing works that highlight the beauty of black and brown women. Through these lenses, Armisey believes the production and exhibition of her works are an inherent part of her moral obligation to herself, her family, and the public. Ms. Smith exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the tri-state area. She has been the lead artist on several public art mural projects in New Jersey, including the Bloomberg Asphalt Grant, Treat Place Four Corners Project(PES), Rutgers University, the Newark Artist Collaboration (PES and Audible), Yendor Productions-Lincoln Park, Benjamin Franklin School, and Sussex Avenue School.
About Rachel Fawn Alban
Rachel Fawn Alban based in Newark, NJ, is a photographer, writer, and educator whose photography is informed by her background in Art Therapy. Her portrait-making approach is characterized by collaboration, a focus on community engagement, and sensitivity to trauma. She is primarily known for documenting public art and collaborating with visual artists.
Rachel’s photos, articles, and interviews have been published on many outlets including Discover Jersey Arts, State of the Arts NJ, Street Art NYC, and ArtBreakOut. Rachel's photography has recently been exhibited at the Newark Museum of Art and Obscura Darkroom. As an arts educator, Rachel currently works with MoMA and Paul Robeson Galleries. In 2023, she created a photo mural at Coler Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Hospital, Roosevelt Island, NY for the NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine Program, supported by Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. Rachel holds a BFA in Art Education with double major Graphic Design and an MPS in Art Therapy, both from the School of Visual Arts.
About The Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.
About The Asphalt Art Initiative
The Asphalt Art Initiative responds to the growing number of cities around the world embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to enliven and improve safety in their streets through interventions on crosswalks, plazas, and other transportation infrastructure.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
188 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 188 Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Newark, United States
USD 0.00