(NEWARK, NJ) -- Akwaaba Gallery is proud to present "Patterns: People in Transition," the second solo exhibition of New Jersey born artist, Martryce Roach. The exhibition features a collection of brand new paintings, ranging in size, that explore the rich history of the Great Migration and its synergy with blues music. The exhibition will be on view through August 15, 2025 with an opening reception on Saturday, July 12, 2025 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.
This exhibition will showcase 30 new pieces on canvas examining the period from 1916 through 1970, when millions of African Americans journeyed North and Midwest from the Jim Crow South, changing the landscapes of major cities across the country and shaping American culture, particularly through the confrontation of oppression, the evolution of civil rights and rejuvenation from new opportunities.
Roach’s style is marked by her mix of history, musical references and geometric shapes to construct surrealistic stories about human experiences and relationships.
Roach created surrealistic landscapes that incorporate elements of blues music, environment, and cultural folklore in her visual reflection of stories that preserve the memories and inform of the collective impact of the Great Migration. Seeing parallels between the systemic challenges during the time of the Great Migration and those that African Americans face today, Roach symbolically inserted patterns into the work. Another layer is the endurance, resilience, and creativity evident throughout the journey of African American people.
“This is a story that resonates with what we’re going through right now,’’ she said. “It celebrates how we navigate through the burdens, use music to energize ourselves and overcome, and how we can spark change.’’
Roach discusses the inspiration for her new work, "The paintings are a contemplation of pivotal moments in American history. It speaks to the patterns of oppression and resistance that have persisted for generations and addresses the complexities surrounding relocation to an unfamiliar new place. Art has the power to transform historical narratives into something people can feel. These works are intended to be dynamic, engaging platforms for viewers to take in our shared stories about what we are, what we have been and challenge us to consider what we aspire to become.”
“When I create, I hope that people connect with the joy, the loss, the conflict, the resilience, and the hope and leave determined to converse about change,” she added.
Raised in New Brunswick, Martryce Roach is a self-taught artist with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health and Africana Studies and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. In 2021, Martryce was named Curator’s Choice by Pro Arts in Jersey City. In 2022, she was awarded the Mid Atlantic Arts Individual Artist Fellowship Grant through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Also in 2022, she was commissioned by the Meyerhoff Alumni Association to visually capture the life story of University of Maryland Baltimore County former President, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski.
In 2023, Roach completed an artist residency with ArtCrawl Harlem on Governor's Island, NY. Her pastel drawing,”Facing the Future Together,’’ was licensed by Newark Liberty International Airport, where a massive, mural-sized image of it was displayed digitally in Terminal A from 2022 through 2023.
Last year, Roach was the Public Art and Community Engagement Mural Ambassador for a 240-foot mural installed at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Several of Roach’s works, including oil paintings and pastel on paper, have been acquired into permanent museum collection.
“Patterns: A People in Migration,” Roach’s newest collection of work, references research that includes oral histories, historical literature, and documentaries capturing different stages of the journey. Different pieces showcase people leaving, resting along the way, and arriving in new, unfamiliar places. Many images focus on the role of women, such as “Roots: Women in Industry”, which encompasses African American women who contributed to industry during World War II and helped to lay a new foundation for the careers of future generations of women.
Although many African American families can trace their histories back to the Great Migration and the social fabric of this country is largely influenced by it, the story is not widely discussed in the classroom, Roach observed. She didn’t learn about it as a historical movement until college and later explored a more personal connection.
Her great grandmother travelled from Virginia to New York City in the 1930s to become a beautician and sent money back home until her grandmother and other family members could join her in the north.
Akwaaba Gallery is a fine art gallery located at 509 S Orange Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. The gallery opened on February 15, 2019. The gallery features contemporary works of art in various mediums. Akwaaba engages the public with exhibitions featuring emerging regional, national, and international artists of diverse backgrounds. The gallery is quickly becoming the commercial art hub of Newark and a welcoming venue for the community and the tri-state area.
Akwaaba Gallery's mission is to build and maintain a thriving visual arts community by representing and exhibiting emerging contemporary fine artists from diverse and/or underrepresented communities in an environment that is welcoming and accessible to all people.
Akwaaba Gallery's vision is to become a reliable and noteworthy venue for the exhibition and acquisition of works by emerging local, national, and international fine artists.
Gallery Hours: Mondays - Closed; Tuesdays, Wed: 10:00am - 6:00pm; Thursdays: 11:00am -4:00pm (seniors only); Fridays: 10:00am - 6:00pm; Saturdays: 10:00am-6:00pm; Sundays: Closed.
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