In the Great Falls Historic District of Paterson is the annual Arts Walk featuring a plethora of artist from the city and neighboring counties even as far as New York City. This year’s turnout was a collaborative effort made possible by the Paterson Arts Council, Art Factory and the City of Paterson. The free event gathered many to see various exhibitions, installations and pop-up galleries curated by art enthusiasts.
The art walk began on June 14th at 11 a.m. attracting street walkers and those drawn to creative expression. Beginning on Spruce Street, walkers began viewing art from the Ivanhoe Museum & Art Gallery, Paterson Museum and the Arts Factory with set aside stops displaying art along the streets. Upward, near the Great Falls, a mural was being painted by a local graffiti artist while reenactments of Shakespeare’s plays seated a small audience in the middle of the walk. With so much to see and do, one captivating piece featured in the walk was William L. Tate’s Catch a Body: Carrying a Torch to Cease Homicide hologram. Tate, who is a Paterson native, was inspired to create a work that spoke to the violence in America. He said, “People have become desensitized to violence, and I wanted to pay homage to respect the people who’ve died.” Tate’s riveting instillation chronicled the deaths of 36 people including Trevon Martin’s along with powerful quotes and the number of body counts within Newark, Baltimore, Chicago and other American cities in a 3-cubed fold. The light bounced two reflections off opposite sides of the wall as Tate described as emotional message to the gateway to the other side. In the center displayed a documentary with collected news stories on the act of violence to complete a profound yet commanding statement that caught the eyes of many spectators. | Curator Sierra Van Ryck Degroot brought in artists from Red Bank, NJ. One of Degroot’s favorite pieces came from graphic artist Sergio Joseph. “He is an incredible fine artist,” mentions Degroot, “who painted by accident. I chose him because his work is multi-faceted and dimensional.” Alongside Joseph’s work was artist James Huryk whose piece entitled All Loving Trickster was on display. With three basic colors, Huryk’s painting depicted a heart broken man who is caught between love and the affection of others. Additionally, the Color Me In exhibition featuring Paterson Public School Rosa Parks, International High School, Community Charter School, School #5 and #9, all participated in the art walk. Students showcased pieces from the elementary to the high school level. Art work that especially stood out were creations by Rosa Parks students Nicole Herrera portrayal of Yellowstone National Park and Luis De’ Jesus color water illustration of Arches National Park. “I like it,” said Qiayamah Rodgers referring to Herrera’s picture. “It’s like a two in one [picture]. You get a rainbow and it’s like you are eyeing the rainbow from the sunset.” | Another local artist from Totowa, NJ, unveiled his artistry in sidewalk art. Hugo Munoz, who is a folk artist, recaptured Lambert Castle. With an assortment of colors, Munoz used ink and acrylic to express his rendition of Paterson’s oldest castle and historical landmark. With so much art to view, the Paterson’s Art Walk would not be complete without showcasing the Paterson Museum. The museum, which holds Paterson’s history, dates back to 1925. The gallery encases precious and natural history artifacts, local archaeology and, of course, the infamous locomotive engines built by Thomas Rodgers. The most valuable piece positioned in the middle of the museum floor is the silk looms that helped build Paterson into what is known as the Silk City. Without the contribution of the textile factory workers, Paterson would not have managed to become one of the largest manufacturing company on the eastern seaboard. The Paterson Art Walk was held an extra day with the crowd soaring by the hundreds. Compared to last year, the walk most definitely captured a lot of amazing pieces coming from talented artist, new and former participants at one of the most exciting events to attend in Paterson, NJ. |