Jazz Is: Now! An Exhibition curated by Gengis Don

Curatorial Fellow, Gengis Don, has always believed that art imitates life. However, after existing in multiple creative mediums, he’s learned that art also imitates art! As one of the musicians pushing the genre of jazz forward, Gengis has hand picked four visual artists whose careers and creations parallel his and his musical counterparts’. Hailing from New York and New Jersey, these visual artist’s work are some of the most thought provoking and pioneering pieces Gengis has come across. Their work invokes a freedom that is often only reached in the jazz genre, if to be compared to another artistic medium.

Zalika Foy (Urbaan Misfit):

Zalika Foy, also known as Urbaan Misfit is a New Jersey native. They are self-taught contemporary artist that specializes in oil painting; more specifically portraits – realism and abstract. Urbaan Misfit took an interest in art as a young child and went on to pursue their career as a painter in their early twenties. Beyond canvas, they began to paint on urban apparel such as hats, jackets, sneakers, etc. which bloomed into an e-commerce business in 2016. Drawing inspiration from street art, everyday life, and frequent travels exploring the art scene in major cities they took on the moniker Urbaan Misfit. Their art is a combination of how people imitate art and how we ourselves are depictions of art.

Since 2014, Foy has curated solo shows and have been a part of many group exhibitions throughout New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. You can learn more about their art at http://www.urbaanmisfit.com.

1.) “Gardians” 30 X 40 – Oil, Acrylic, Oil pastels, Modeling paste – 2022

2.) “We Got The Jazz” 30 X 40 – Oil, Acrylic, Oil pastels -2023

3.) “Conversation Piece” – Coffee Table – approx. 24 X 35, stands 16″ tall – Wood, Acrylic paint, Oil pastels, Resin – 2023

Dominique “Indigleaux” Cunningham:

Dominique “Indigleaux” Cunningham is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, and activist from Jersey City, New Jersey. Heavily Inspired by the 20th century avant-garde cubist movement, Indigleaux uses art to depict real life through the use of personification, masks, shapes, movement, and theater. Indigleaux is heavily inspired by the concept of a living picture, most notably referred to as a “tableau”: a theatrical concept and technique where actors pose and freeze in place as a means to capture a climactic point in a play. In an ever-evolving art world, where art from Black creators is often expected to be politically charged, Indigleaux finds peace in using her platform as an opportunity to exalt Black joy, excellence, influence, and culture in a positive light. She considers this a balancing act that is, within itself, political. This deliberate choice of direction in her work is done purely with the intention to welcome the idea that Black community, creativity and happiness, are also acts of defiance against systemic oppression.

Indigleaux’s art has garnered praise from the likes of Jersey City’s Mural Art Program (JCMAP) where she completed her first mural. She has participated in exhibitions at acclaimed institutions like St. Edward’s University (Austin, Tx), Big Medium Gallery (Austin, TX) , the Index Gallery (Newark, NJ), Van Der Plas Gallery (New York, NY) and Mana Contemporary (Jersey City, NJ)).

Overall, Indigleaux finds purpose in utilizing her art as a tool to connect with her community as everyone is living life: weaving through the ebb and flow of existence.

Jay Golding
Jay Golding is a Jamaican born, American artist who is also a descendant of the Maroon tribe. Golding’s mixed-media practice explores themes related to ancient mythology, migration, as well as the relationship between his Caribbean heritage and African influence in his personal life. His work ranges from depictions of masked figures to friends and relatives, either placed in natural settings or against flat backgrounds–frequently using a vibrant palette, sometimes accompanied by emerging textures caused by recycled materials such as paper towels and other found elements. Golding’s practice typically references familiar surroundings that are reminiscent of his childhood and inspired by his distant travels as a way to reveal his personal connection to specific types of locations. Jay frequently signs his work using the pseudonym Kwame as a justification of the connection he feels to his tribal roots by way of Ghana, West Africa.

Fri, Jul 28

6:00 pm

National Jazz Museum in Harlem