PRESENCE IN PORTRAIT

Presence in Portrait is a three-part interdisciplinary salon series led by Tehsuan Glover that is designed to activate the Paul Robeson Galleries @ Express Newark as a working studio environment where portraiture and performance occur in real time. Inspired by Paul Robeson (theater, voice, civic presence) and James Van Der Zee (portraiture, dignity, cultural memory), the series blends photography, spoken word, music, movement, and dialogue into community-centered creative sessions.

Each date is free and open to the public:

March 20th: 1pm - 4pm

Sofa Salon (Recorded Conversation +Performance)

A filmed salon-style conversation with an artist (or artist pair), combining interview-style

storytelling with embedded performance moments.

April 24th: 2pm - 4pm

Living Portrait Salon

A live performance environment where musicians, spoken word artists, and movement

artists create in the space while portrait photography and/or drawing captures the

"portrait of the artist in motion."

May 8th: 2pm - 4pm

Four Chairs / Cross Dialogue

A structured salon-style conversation designed as a public dialogue piece (not a traditional panel). The format supports tension, humor, disagreement, and community reflection.

About Tehsuan:

Tehsuan Glover is a Newark-based portrait photographer, writer, and cultural producer whose work centers storytelling through imagery, spoken word, and community dialogue. His portrait photography explores presence, dignity, and the lived experience of people and place. Glover is the founder and publisher of The Newark Times, a media platform dedicated to documenting the culture, perspectives, and everyday life of Newark and Newarkers. Through photography, media, and curated cultural gatherings, his work invests deeply in Newark’s creative community and civic narrative.

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