Spanning from the late‑1960s to the present, this exhibition brings to life the groundbreaking history of Aljira: a Center for Contemporary Art, its community, and its transition from an artist‑led studio space to a major institution.
This sweeping exhibition of contemporary art celebrates Aljira’s 35-year tenure in Newark and its global impact. In collaboration with The Aljira Archive Project and drawing on the Museum’s renowned collection of contemporary art, Dreamtime in Newark features major artworks by 44 local and global artists and an expansive range of media. The exhibition centers Newark as an important site for experimentation and inclusiveness in both studio and curatorial practice. Curated by Alliyah Allen, independent curator, and Tricia Laughlin Bloom, Senior Curator of American Art.
Artists in the exhibition:
About the Curators:
Alliyah Allen is a Newark-based independent curator and arts administrator whose work explores the intersections of Black visual culture, community archives, and alternative art spaces. Allen holds an MA in Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University.
Tricia Laughlin Bloom, PhD, is the Senior Curator of American Art at The Newark Museum of Art. A specialist in modern and contemporary art, Bloom holds an MA in 19th- and 20th-Century Art Criticism and Theory from SUNY Stony Brook and a PhD in Modern and Contemporary Art from Rutgers University.
Dreamtime in Newark: Aljira and the Making of Global Contemporary Art is organized by The Newark Museum of Art, in collaboration with The Aljira Archive Project.
