Juneteenth Arts Celebration Showcases Work of More Than 40 Black Artists
More than 40 African American, Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino artists are featured in the 34th annual Art in the Atrium (ATA) exhibit, “From Many to One: A New Tribe,” which officially opened this week with a public reception at the Morris County Administration and Records Building in Morristown.
Artists from as far as Atlanta, Georgia attended the signature county Juneteenth Arts Celebration event yesterday, presented in partnership with ATA, the Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), Morris Arts and Morris Museum.
“Morris County is proud to host this exhibit each year right here in the Administration and Records Building, and we are equally proud to recognize Juneteenth as a county holiday, marking the end of slavery and the promise of freedom for all Americans,” said Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw, who delivered remarks at the June 11 reception on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners. “Thank you to the artists, organizers and everyone who made this exhibit possible — and thank you all for supporting the arts, preserving history and celebrating the stories that bring us together.”
View More Photos of the Opening Reception
ATA was founded in 1991 by Charles and Viki Craig. Viki Craig, who passed away in 2018, is memorialized with a plaque in the fifth-floor atrium. Today, their daughter, Simone Craig, leads the organization, continuing its mission to elevate Black artists and enrich New Jersey’s cultural landscape. This year’s exhibit curated by Onnie Strother and Nette Thomas features nearly 180 works of art by more than 40 artists, including M. Gasby Brown, Philemona Williamson, Beverly McCutcheon and Lola Flash. The artists present diverse perspectives on identity, heritage, community and the Black experience. Visitors are welcomed on the fifth floor by Brown’s “Black Beauty” series, a collection of elegant mixed-media portraits celebrating the strength and beauty of Black women. Nearby, Williamson’s “Equality of Balance” greets guests at the entrance to the adjoining atrium gallery.