Detail, Birth Marked by M’nard Derosena, 2022

(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Newark Museum of Art and Newark Arts are pleased to announce Cross Cultural Perspectives, the signature exhibition of the 2023 Newark Arts Festival, a free, four-day celebration happening September 27th through October 1st. The exhibition opens on September 27th and features works by a roster of 90+ NJ artists and will be on-view through October 29, 2023.

Cross Cultural Perspectives is co-curated by Adrienne Wheeler, Visual Artist and Independent Curator, and Atteqa Ali, Associate Curator, Arts of Global Asia at The Newark Museum of Art. Inspired by the multiplicity of ideas behind Cross Cultural Perspectives, artworks in a wide range of media extend the theme into narratives of social justice, cultural identity, equality, the immigrant experience, and spiritual connections, among others. For the first time, the exhibition occupies not only the Special Exhibition Gallery, but also expansive spaces on the first floor of the Museum to house the grand scale of artistic expression across New Jersey. The Museum will also feature over 50 pieces of local student art as part of its Newark Arts Festival partnership. The Culture Creators High School Visual Art Exhibition will be housed in the Museum’s 2nd floor Program Hall.

“On behalf of Director and CEO Linda C. Harrison, we are thrilled once again to partner with Newark Arts to host this vibrant exhibition, not only during the Newark Arts Festival, but well beyond, until the end of October. Following last year’s stunning showcase, we look forward to supporting and celebrating the immense artistic talent right here in Newark. It’s a joy to collaborate with the wonderful team at Newark Arts to foster community at the Museum,” said Catherine Evans, Deputy Director, Collections & Curatorial Strategies.

“Newark Arts is proud to partner once again with the Newark Museum of Art to provide close to 100 local and regional artists the amazing opportunity for their work to be featured in New Jersey’s premier fine art museum. A museum show can change the career trajectory of an artist, and we are delighted to build that bridge for our deserving artist community. The Cross Cultural Perspectives exhibition is not to be missed and is just one of Festival highlights attendees are sure to enjoy throughout the weekend,” said Newark Arts Interim Executive Director, Lauren LeBeaux Craig.

For a full list of artists featured in Cross Cultural Perspectives exhibit, click here.

For more information and to register for the 2023 Newark Arts Festival, click here. Registered guests of the Newark Arts Festival will receive free entry to Cross Cultural Perspectives and the entire Museum during the four-day run of the Festival.

Founded in 1909 and located in New Jersey, The Newark Museum of Art (NMOA) is the state's largest museum and ranks twelfth nationally in terms of collection size. Global and diasporic, the collection includes more than 130,000 artworks, as well as significant holdings of science and natural history. From the ancient world to the art of today, NMOA boasts exceptional quality and depth in the Arts of Global Africa; Arts of Global Asia, featuring a renown Tibetan collection and Buddhist altar; Arts of the Americas, with particular strength in Native American art; Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean, and Decorative Arts. Visitor- and community-centered, NMOA responds to the evolving needs and interests of the diverse publics it serves by offering exhibitions, programming, a research library, paid internships, and local and global partnerships. A four-acre campus includes the National Historic Landmark Ballantine House (1885); the Ward Carriage House (1860); the Old Stone School House (1784); the Alice Ransom Dreyfuss Memorial Garden; and Horizon Plaza. Under the leadership of Director and CEO Linda C. Harrison, NMOA has launched an era of transformation to create an engaged citizenry by reimagining the role of the art museum for the 21st century.

The mission of Newark Arts is to power the arts to transform lives. Established in 1981 as the Newark Arts Council, the organization’s vision is to become a nationally recognized catalyst for the collaborative power of the arts in the City of Newark and urban America. Newark Arts is the producer of the Newark Arts Festival and Newark Creates, a community-led citywide cultural plan, created in partnership with the City of Newark. Key initiatives include Arts Education Newark (AEN) and the ArtStart community grantmaking program. Newark Arts is generously supported by Prudential Financial, the City of Newark, M&T Bank, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Victoria Foundation, Turrell Fund, Bank of America, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, Verizon, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Hanini Group, TD Bank, Panasonic, PSEG and individuals, businesses and institutions.