The public is invited to join Morris Arts, Art in the Atrium, Matheny Arts Access and Shoshana Kertesz for the free opening reception on June 16, 2022 (Juneteenth weekend) from 7-9pm for the exhibit, REEMERGENCE AND RENEWAL, at the Atrium Gallery, located on floors 2-5 of the Morris County Administration and Records Building, 10 Court Street, Morristown. This reception will also mark the dedication of a plaque honoring the late Viki Craig, co-founder of Art in the Atrium (ATA), the African American art organization celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
L-R: Armisey Smith’s alcohol ink, acrylic on paper, Busted Bouquet; Anthony Zaccaria’s Disney World with Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh; Onnie Strother’s mono print, Pretty Bill; Shoshana Kertesz’s oil on canvas, Puzzled;
Marking our collective reemergence from the years of pandemic disruption, the 138 artworks by 46 talented artists in this exhibit offer a sense of renewal through their vibrant imagery, vivid colors, compelling designs and their underlying sense of humanity.
Celebrating 30 years of African American art, the fourth and fifth floors present 70 works by 24 African American artists selected by Art in the Atrium (ATA) entitled Black Revival!, encompassing a wide range of styles and media – utilizing acrylic, multimedia assemblages, textiles, and photos in abstract and figurative compositions. The art showcases the richness and diversity of African American artistic languages, provoking careful thought and deep emotional connections with viewers. ATA will also announce its Black Art Resilience Grantees at the reception.
With a solo show on the third floor, Hungarian-born Shoshana Kertesz offers 40 artworks ranging from intense, dramatic oil portraits – often of famous cultural figures – to poetic, evocative fine art photography and pencil drawings on subjects from the grandeur / serenity of nature to intriguing urban streetscapes.
On the second floor, 28 works by artists with disabilities from the Matheny Arts Access program virtually explode with energy and color in distinctive geometrics, fluid abstract designs and sheer energy. The are truly imagination made visible.
L-R:; Chet Cheesman’s acrylic on canvas board, Home; Shoshana Kertesz’ photograph, Roots; Mikel Elam’s mixed media on wood panel, Misperception; Maria Estrela’s mixed media, African prints on canvas, Unenslave Yourself.
By offering viewers the richness of expression from artistic voices less commonly heard, this unique exhibit offers new perspectives and inspires a sense of reemergence and renewal in those fortunate enough to see it.
Most of the artworks are available for sale, with details and pricing provided in the free catalogues available in the elevator lobby areas on floors 2-5. The catalogue is also posted online at www.morrisarts.org. The Atrium Art Gallery is free and open to the public during business hours, 8:30am-4:30pm and from 5-9pm on the last Thursdays of June, July and August as part of Meet Me In Morristown, the Morristown street fair sponsored by Morris Arts and the Morristown Partnership. The exhibit remains in place until September 2, 2022.