TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey State Museum will present a series of seven in-gallery talks with artists featured in the 2022 New Jersey Arts Annual: Reemergence exhibition on select Wednesdays through the run of the show. Each event will feature two artists who will discuss their work in the context of the exhibition; programs will run for 45 minutes to one hour. These free lunchtime talks will begin at 12:15 PM in the exhibition gallery and will offer attendees a deeper understanding of the featured artists and their practice. The New Jersey Arts Annual: Reemergence exhibition is on view through April 30, 2023.

The first talk in the series will take place on September 21 and features Donté Hayes and Donna Conklin King. Mr. Hayes’ artwork is informed by research and engagement with traditional African heirlooms and initiation rites, as well as his interest in history, science-fiction and hip-hop culture. Donna Conklin King explores the possibilities of concrete as a medium as she creates environments that address the relationship between nature, architecture and the inevitable ruins of civilization.

The October 19th talk will feature artists José Camacho and Matilda Forsberg. Mr. Camacho’s richly layered surfaces combine commercial methods of artistic production with subject matter that explores memory and cultural heritage. In her paintings, Ms. Forsberg reflects on migration and multicultural identity, most recently meditating on what it means for her and her family to settle in a foreign country and culture.

Schedule for Artist Talks:
Sep. 21 Donté Hayes & Donna Conklin King
Oct. 19 José Camacho & Matilda Forsberg
Nov. 16 Sinéad Hornak & ShinYoung An
Jan. 25 Mashell Black & George Taylor
Feb. 22 Megan Klim & Katrina Bello
Mar. 22 Theda Sandiford & Pam Cooper
Apr. 19 Mark Ludak & Caroline Burton

Each year, the New Jersey Arts Annual is presented by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, in partnership with major museums around the state, alternating between host institutions. These exhibitions are open to any artist currently living or working in New Jersey. This year’s juried exhibition drew 1,999 submissions from 393 artists, representing every one of New Jersey’s 21 counties. One hundred twenty-seven works by 95 artists were selected for inclusion in the exhibition (see list below).

The New Jersey Arts Annual: Reemergence is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the New Jersey State Museum. At the New Jersey State Museum, the exhibition is also supported by the New Jersey State Museum Foundation.

The New Jersey State Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm. For additional information visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov, like the Museum’s Facebook page (@NJStateMuseum), follow us on Twitter (njstatemuseum), or Instagram (nj_statemuseum).

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About the New Jersey State Museum
Located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, the New Jersey State Museum encompasses three buildings including a state-of-the-art Planetarium and holds over 2 million artifacts in its collections in Archaeology/Ethnography, Cultural History, Fine Art and Natural History. The New Jersey State Museum is a center for the exploration of science, history and the arts. We preserve and share stories that inspire curiosity and creativity for the enrichment of our communities. The Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm. For additional information, visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov, like the Museum’s Facebook page (@NJStateMuseum), follow us on Twitter (njstatemuseum), or Instagram (nj_statemuseum).

About the New Jersey State Museum Foundation
The New Jersey State Museum Foundation was founded in 1968 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) to support the Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs through fundraising, volunteerism, advocacy and marketing. The New Jersey State Museum Foundation received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. The Foundation has received an Action Grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. In recent years, the Foundation has received generous support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, PNC Foundation, NJM Insurance Group, and Princeton Area Community Foundation. The Foundation also operates the Museum membership program, as well as the Museum Shop which sells merchandise related to the Museum's exhibitions and collections, and New Jersey history and culture. Proceeds support the New Jersey State Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs.