Join us on Monday, May 4, from 2 PM to 4 PM for the unveiling of âConstellation Benchâ by artist Eirini Linardaki! Newark Grounds, led by Project for Empty Space in collaboration with its civic and cultural partners, is proud to announce the unveiling of Constellati......More
Join us on Monday, May 4, from 2 PM to 4 PM for the unveiling of âConstellation Benchâ by artist Eirini Linardaki! Newark Grounds, led by Project for Empty Space in collaboration with its civic and cultural partners, is proud to announce the unveiling of Constellation Bench, a new public sculpture by artist Eirini Linardaki. The work will be revealed on May 4 at 2:00 PM in Mulberry Commons Park in Newark, New Jersey, and will remain on view through August 2026. The unveiling event will feature remarks by Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the artist, and project partners, alongside a live performance and the release of a new publication marking the occasion. Constellation Bench is the inaugural sculpture of Newark Grounds, an ambitious initiative to create a more continuous and connected walkable cultural corridor across the city. The corridor now links nearly 100 public artworks and art spaces along a dynamic, pedestrian-friendly route connecting Newark Penn Station to Teachers Village and beyond. The initiative is a collaboration with the City of Newark Division of Art and Cultural Affairs, the Newark Arts and Education District, the Newark City Parks Foundation, the Newark Alliance, Newark Happening, Newark Downtown District, the Newark Arts Council, the Four Corners Public Arts Partnership, and the Rutgers UniversityâNewark Design Consortium. âOver the past few years, Project for Empty Space and our partners have been shaping a public art program that both elevates existing work and creates new opportunitiesânot just for artists, but for audiences to actively engage in local arts,â said fayemi shakur, Director, City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs. âThe Constellation Bench is a natural starting point: developed with the community and designed to be experienced, not just observed. Our approach in Newark is intentionalâcentering audience experience, especially for residents and young people, as equally vital to the work itself.â Developed in close partnership with the Newark City Parks Foundation, the sculpture program reflects a shared commitment to prioritizing parks as vital civic spaces and to integrating public art as a meaningful enhancement to the everyday experience of those spaces. âOur parks are among Newarkâs most important civic assets places where people gather, rest, and recreate, and connect across communities. Investing in our parks means investing in the social and cultural life of Newark,â said Marcy DePina, Executive Director, Newark City Parks Foundation. âThrough collaborations like Newark Grounds, weâre not only enhancing public space, weâre building a more connected, walkable city where art and community life are fully integrated. Constellation Bench marks an exciting step in that vision. Weâre proud to partner on a project that centers community voices while activating our parks in meaningful and lasting ways.â Constellation Bench was selected through a request for proposals inviting artists to submit concepts for Newark Grounds, with a focus on three-dimensional works for Mulberry Commons and new commissions at PESâs hub at 800 Broad Street. Chosen by an advisory committee, the selected projects respond to the curatorial theme âCollective Belonging.â Linardakiâs Constellation Bench is a star-shaped sculptural installation that functions as both seating and gathering space. Inspired by a search for a place to picnic with friends, the work addresses the need for welcoming, inclusive public spaces in Newark. Drawing on the imagery of constellationsâancient systems of navigation and connectionâthe sculptureâs radiating arms symbolize the many cultures and stories that converge in the city, creating a landmark rooted in openness, comfort, and shared experience. The work can accommodate individuals or groups of up to twenty people at a time, designed to support both intimate and larger group gatherings within the park. The project was informed by a rigorous community engagement process, ensuring that the final design reflects the identities of Newark residents. The sculpture is also fully hand-painted by the artist, emphasizing craft, material presence, and the care embedded in its making. âI wanted to create an artwork where people in Newark can feel welcomedâto rest, be in peace, gather with friends, eat a sandwich, listen to music, and reflect on the multiculturalism of our community. By coming together and sharing the beauty of our different cultures, we can find solace under the stars and recognize that we are all part of one vast universe,â said artist Eirini Linardaki. Beyond its physical presence, Constellation Bench will serve as an active site for community engagement. The work will host monthly childrenâs reading circles and co-anchor PESâs Summer NIGHT FEST, featuring a community picnic and an immersive projection project that activates the park after dark. In addition, the artist will design and install custom shade canopiesâextending community-informed patterns into the skyâwith support from the NJBPU Urban Heat Island Grant Program. Following this inaugural installation, additional sculptures by artists Damien Davis and Shoshanna Weinberger will be introduced later this year as part of the expanding Newark Grounds program. By bringing together artists and audiences in accessible public spaces, Newark Grounds continues to position Newark as a vibrant center for creativity, culture, and community exchange. âPublic space holds enormous potential as a site for connection, reflection, and shared experience,â said Rebecca Pauline Jampol and Jasmine Wahi, Co-Directors of Project for Empty Space. âBy bringing strategic and engaging artworks into parks and across Newark, we are not only expanding access to contemporary art, but also investing in a community-engaged public practice that centers the voices, histories, and everyday experiences of the people who live here.â These projects are supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) A.R.T. Grant, which fueled Project for Empty Spaceâs 2024 expansion. Through this support, PES significantly broadened its footprint, opening two new street-level galleries and deepening its investment in community initiatives like Newark Grounds. The corridor integrates wayfinding elements with both existing and newly commissioned public artworks, all grounded in community-engaged public practice. â ABOUT OUR PARTNERS CITY OF NEWARK DIVISION OF ARTS CULTURAL AFFAIRS The City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs promotes excellence in the arts by overseeing initiatives, encouraging community engagement, and creating collaborative partnerships to enhance the cityâs creative economy. newarknj.gov/departments/arts-and-cultural-affairs NEWARK ARTS AND EDUCATION DISTRICT The City of Newarkâs Arts and Education District serves as a vibrant cultural hub, hosting a variety of museums, galleries, performance spaces, and educational institutions. newarkartsandeducation.com NEWARK CITY PARKS FOUNDATIONNewark City Parks Foundation, Inc. (NCPF) is a public-private partnership established to manage and enhance Newarkâs Downtown Parks, including key historic green spaces, through maintenance, programming, and fundraising efforts. newarkcityparks.org NEWARK ALLIANCEThe Newark Alliance, through the combined strength and collaboration of its members, drives inclusive economic growth, working collaboratively to cement Newarkâs status as one of Americaâs most diverse, prosperous, exciting, and equitable cities. newark-alliance.org. NEWARK ARTS COUNCILThe Newark Arts Council has played a pivotal role since 1981 in elevating Newarkâs arts and culture landscape, serving as a trusted collaborator and catalyst for creative placemaking and community vibrancy. newarkarts.org FOUR CORNERS PUBLIC ARTS PARTNERSHIPEstablished in 2019, the Four Corners Public Arts Partnership supports public art initiatives in the Four Corners Historic District and strengthens Newarkâs creative community by revitalizing under-appreciated areas through collaborative arts efforts. fourcornerspublicarts.org RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEWARK DESIGN CONSORTIUMThe Design Consortium at Rutgers University-Newark is a student-faculty studio focused on real-world design projects, building community connections through its location in the Express Newark arts incubator. expressnewark.org/studio/design-consortium/
Mulberry Commons, Mulberry Street
