Wards of Newark: Manuel Acevedo Public Art Exhibition Opening

On Tuesday, May 12th, New Arts will host the opening program for Wards of Newark: Manuel Acevedo, a citywide public art exhibition featuring archival photographs of Newark, taken from 1982 to 1987, by the multidisciplinary artist Manuel Acevedo. Located across the five wards, Central, North, East, West, and South, the images reflect the city’s past vitality and current diversity, inviting viewers to remember Newark as a place of home, community, and cosmopolitanism.

Hosted as a partnership between Rutgers University-Newark and the City of Newark and curated by Professor Salamishah Tillet, Director of New Arts at Express Newark, “Wards of Newark” draws from an archive of over 3,200 black and white images by Acevedo, most of which have never been shared with the public, and features large-scale billboards and murals at key sites in the city: Branch Brook Park, Riverfront Park on Raymond’s Boulevard, Halsey Street/Rutgers University—Newark, South Stage Park at Clinton Avenue, and South Orange Avenue. The exhibition is a culmination of Acevedo’s residency with New Arts hosted at Express Newark.

Manuel Acevedo, BMX Crew (after the Puerto Rican Day Parade), 1986.

Join us at the Central Ward site, exhibited at 5 Linden Street, to celebrate the opening of this historic exhibition and the vibrant stories it brings to life across Newark. After brief remarks, guests will embark on a guided tour of installations throughout the city’s five wards, with transportation provided. Light refreshments will be available as we celebrate together.

Installation Sites

• Central Ward: 5 Linden Street, Newark, NJ 07102

• North Ward: Branch Brook Park (Near the Roller-Skating Rink) Newark, NJ 07104,

• East Ward: 709 Raymond Blvd, Newark, NJ 07105

• West Ward: 588 S Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07106

• South Ward: 450 Clinton Ave, Newark, NJ 07112

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)

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Host or Publisher New Arts Justice Initiative