Artist-Curator Talk: Manuel Acevedo & Salamishah Tillet
About this Event
Join artist Manuel Acevedo and curator Salamishah Tillet for a conversation about The Wards of Newark: Then and Now. Together, they will discuss the collaborative process behind the exhibition, the research that informed the project, and the role of public art in preserving and reimagining Newark's histories. Following the discussion, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage with the artists' ideas.
Wards of Newark: Manuel Acevedo is a citywide public art exhibition featuring black-and-white photographs of Newark, taken from 1982 to 1987, by the multidisciplinary artist and Newark native Manuel Acevedo. Curated by Salamishah Tillet, Director of New Arts at Rutgers University—Newark, “Wards of Newark” is located across the five wards, West, South, Central, North, and East, and offers a new map of the city’s past vitality and current diversity.
Hosted as a partnership between Rutgers University—Newark and the City of Newark, “Wards of Newark” features large-scale billboards and murals at key sites in the city:
- West Ward: Former Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery, 588 South Orange Ave
- South Ward: Soundstage Park, 450 Clinton Ave
- Central Ward: Rutgers University/Halsey Street, 5 Linden Street
- North Ward: Essex County Branch Brook Park (Near the Roller-Skating Rink)
- East Ward: Riverfront Park, 871 Raymond Blvd
Manuel Acevedo, BMX Crew (After the Puerto Rican Day Parade),1986
Wards of Newark is curated by Dr. Salamishah Tillet, Distinguished Professor and New Arts Faculty Director, and features works by Manuel Acevedo, New Arts Artist-in-Residence at Express Newark. Additional support is provided by fayemi shakur, Director of Newark’s Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and Rebecca Jampol, Public Arts Manager and Co-Director of Project for Empty Space.
The exhibition is presented by Rutgers University—Newark, in partnership with Newark’s Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs. Additionally, the Ford Foundation, Emerson Collective, and A Long Walk Home have provided generous support for this exhibition.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the many partners, collaborators, and community members whose expertise, care, and dedication made Wards of Newark possible, including:
- Branch Brook Park Alliance
- The Chancellor’s Office, Rutgers—Newark
- Crown Bank
- Essex County Department of Parks
- The Hanini Group
- The Honors Living-Learning Community at Rutgers—Newark
- Newark City Parks Foundation, Inc.
- Newark’s Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs & Senior Services
- Oak Ridge LLC
- School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers—Newark
About New Arts
Founded by faculty member Dr. Salamishah Tillet in 2018, New Arts is a public art studio in Express Newark dedicated to art and social practice. New Arts collaborates with community, university, and municipal partners to create public projects powered by art’s relationship to place, social justice, and civic engagement in Newark and beyond.
About Manuel Acevedo
Acevedo, Bronx-based multidisciplinary artist, began his career as a street photographer in Newark. His work combines photo-based imagery, conceptual graffiti ciphers, and architectonic visualizations that reflect the ever-shifting boundaries of diasporic communities within the urban landscape. Acevedo’s public art projects and site-based installations address the contested histories of shared spaces. His work is built on over forty years of practice, inspired by urban experiences in the United States and by city lore as a first-generation Puerto Rican artist.
About Rutgers University—Newark
Rutgers University–Newark is one of three regional campuses of Rutgers University, New Jersey's State University. It is a remarkably diverse, urban, public research university that is not just in Newark but of Newark—an anchor institution of our home city. We think of anchor institutions as place-based organizations that persist in their communities over generations, even in the face of substantial capital flight, serving as social glue, economic engines, or both.
There is no admission fee to enter Express Newark. All exhibitions in the Paul Robeson Galleries and public areas are free. Light refreshments will also be served free of charge.
Directions and Parking
The event is happening on Linden Street, between Halsey and Washington Street. Accessible by public transportation:
- Bus stops: University Ave at Warren St + Broad St at New St
- Military Park light rail station
- NJ Transit Hubs (20< min walk from Broad and Newark Penn Stations)
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
