UNION COUNTY, NJ — The Union County Board of County Commissioners will present artwork from three local artists, Mansa Mussa, Brian Branch Price and Lydia Watson, in celebration of Black History Month, in an exhibit at the Commissioners Gallery, located on the sixth floor of the Union County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. The exhibit will be displayed through Friday, Feb. 28.
“This exhibit not only highlights the talent of our local artists, but also provides a space for storytelling, history and cultural expression,” said Union County Commissioner Chairperson Lourdes M. Leon. “We invite residents to visit the Commissioners Gallery and experience these powerful pieces firsthand as we honor Black History Month through the arts.”
Mussa, a visual artist, arts educator and curator, is a photographer who has used the camera to “document the unfolding of human events” in the United States, Caribbean, Africa, Central America and Europe. A Newark native and graduate of New Jersey City University, Mussa currently teaches drawing, printmaking, photography, collage, wearable art, book arts, mask making and iPadology for the Union County Teen Arts Festival, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, the Montclair Museum of Art, and the Newark Museum.
Price, a photographer and Plainfield native, is an American reportage and portrait photographer whose career has ranged from photojournalism to commissioned fine art projects. A graduate of Howard University, Price’s photographs are in the permanent collections of the Plainfield Public Library, The Harn Museum at the University of Florida and the Major Taylor Museum.
Watson, the artist behind Watsart, is a Plainfield resident whose creations are inspired by the elegance of nature and the delicate balance between precision and emotion. Her artwork blends the intricate details of stippling/pointillism with bold, abstract elements to celebrate the beauty of the natural world. Watson believes that art should be accessible for all and offers a variety of prints along with original artworks.
“Art has the power to preserve history and we are honored to highlight these artists and their work in celebration of Black History Month,” said Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, who serves on the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board.
The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, part of the Department of Parks and Recreation, coordinates the exhibits displayed at the Commissioners Gallery. For information about this and other programs and services related to the arts and history in Union County, contact the office at 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth; telephone: call 908-558-2550; NJ relay users dial 7-1-1; or email [email protected].
Photos Courtesy of Kelly Martins