The City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs will unveil two new public murals by interdisciplinary artist Helina Metaferia on Monday, November 17, at 2:00 PM. Celebrations will begin at the first location, 35 Halsey Street, and continue to the second site on Edison Place. Community partners, city officials, and local residents are invited to attend.
The artworks were created in collaboration with Project for Empty Space, which facilitated community engagement, and Edison Properties, which provided a host location. The murals draw from Metaferia’s ongoing series By Way of Revolution and celebrate Newark’s rich legacy of activism while uplifting contemporary voices.
“Newark is a city where art lives in our streets, our people, and our spirit,” said Mayor Baraka. “These incredible murals by Helina Metaferia embody what makes our city extraordinary: our history of activism, our fierce creativity, and the power of community to keep pushing culture forward. Public art like this doesn’t just beautify our city, it reminds us who we are and who we’re becoming together.”
Community and Archival Roots
Metaferia led a Newark-based workshop for women-identifying BIPOC participants focusing on resilience and protest histories. From this gathering, Newark-born cousins Nashel Brantley and Karla Cruz were chosen as the focal figures for the murals. Their portraits, captured by photographer Malaika A. Muindi, are interwoven with archival materials, directly linking past and present movements for justice.
“Being involved in this project from start to finish has been so healing in a way I couldn’t have done by myself. The project helped me connect to myself, my community, my ancestors, and my city in incredible ways,” said participant Nashel Brantley, featured at 35 Halsey St.
Artist Helina Metaferia emphasized the works’ significance: “These murals were made at a time when we need to see representation of Black and Brown women uplifted—bolder, louder, and fiercer than ever before. Community building and public artwork do that work, at a scale that demonstrates an investment in our legacies.”
Metaferia’s creative process was deeply informed by the Newark Public Library’s extensive archival collections. Imagery incorporated into the murals includes 1960s–70s Black Panther and Young Lords photographs, materials from The Star-Ledger, and various African American, Puerto Rican, and Hispanic organizations. Family photographs and cultural symbols, such as a Salvadoran flag, honor the subjects’ multicultural lineage, underscoring Newark’s ongoing story of resilience and representation.
Support for the project comes from the City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Newark Creative Catalyst, the Newark Artist Accelerator, Edison Properties, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
