Pictured: Baby Dolls, Kenneth and Mamie Clark, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC "I am increasingly interested in the residual power of the past to inhabit these material remains. The ability of objects to transcend lives, centuries, and millennia suggests a remarkable mechanism for folding time, bringing the past and ... The post Past and Present with Wendel A. White’s Manifest: Thirteen Colonies appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Pictured: Christopher Durang in 2012 Christopher Durang died earlier this month, from complications related to a rare form of dementia. Born in 1949 in Montclair, New Jersey, the playwright was called by the New York Times “a hyperliterate jester and an anarchic clown.” And Chris was very funny. But he also had a gentle, curious side—in ... The post Remembering Playwright Christopher Durang appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

New Jersey has been home to lots of famous artists and performers. Of course, there are poets like William Carlos Williams and Walt Whitman, singer Frank Sinatra, and actress Meryl Streep, but also so many others. In the world of classical music in the early 20th century, there is one New Jersey composer of particular ... The post Capital Philharmonic Performs Antheil at the Historic Roebling Factory appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Woman Holding a Jug, 1932, James A. Porter As Black history month comes to a close, we’re privileged to publish a newly digitized version of Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance on the State of the Arts NJ YouTube Channel. Narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor Joe Morton, this national PBS documentary premiered in 1993. ... The post Visual art from the Harlem Renaissance in a landmark documentary appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Image: George Segal at work, photographed by Donald Lokuta This year marks the centennial of iconic New Jersey sculptor George Segal (1924-2000), whose works can be found in public spaces worldwide. In Washington, D.C., his Bread Line honors the history of the Great Depression. In New York City, Gay Liberation appears at the Stonewall National ... The post George Segal: 100 Years appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

On our first new episode, we met Artist-Catalyst and composer DBR (Daniel Roumain Bernard) in residence with the New Jersey Symphony. We explored Philip Roth’s Newark over three days at NJPAC, including a visit to his boyhood home. And, we went to Camden Rep’s immersive production of the Black Arts classic, Unfinished Women Cry In No Man’s Land While A Bird ... The post A New Season of State of the Arts appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Daniel Bernard Roumain, also known as DBR, is a fascinating character. He’s a violinist who accompanies Hip Hop artists and a composer who incorporates elements of classical, jazz, rap, and rock into his music. He's also a social activist. Back in May, I spent time with Daniel filming a State of the Arts feature for ... The post DBR at the New Jersey Symphony appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Max Roach (1924-2007) was one of the most important drummers in history, and this month is the centennial of his birth. Over his illustrious career, he played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Dinah Washington, and many more. We were thrilled to have Max Roach appear in State of the Arts's Trenton studio ... The post The Centennial of Music Legend Max Roach appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Basket by Steven R. Carty, photo courtesy Peters Valley Gallery At State of the Arts we cover all kinds of art—including the "folk arts." New Jersey is home to a rich community of visual and performing artists working with traditional methods, mediums, and inspirations. Every year, the National Endowment for the Arts presents the prestigious "National Heritage Fellowships." This year, the New Jersey State ... The post Living traditions: Folk Artists of New Jersey appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more

Did you know that the largest collection of post-WWII Soviet Art is found in New Jersey, at the Zimmerli Art Museum of Rutgers University? As Russia today tightens control over free speech, it raises the spectre of the oppression experienced by artists in Soviet times. Our recent profile of the duo Komar and Melamid, who ... The post From Gulag to Glasnost appeared first on State Of The Arts - NJ ..read more