{"title":"BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK - FEBRUARY 2026","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"art-house-gallery-february-2026","title":"Black is the New Black | February 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Art House Gallery presents:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlack is the New Black\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCurated by Bryant Small\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGroup Show featuring: Daniel Jenkins, Kortez, Somina Mosaku, Tenjin Ikeda, Tolu Olasoji, \u0026amp; QRCKY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eArt House Productions proudly presents \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlack Is The New Black\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, a group exhibition curated by \u003cstrong\u003eBryant Small\u003c\/strong\u003e. The exhibition will be on view at the Art House Gallery from \u003cstrong\u003eSaturday, February 7 through Saturday, February 28, 2026.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRegular gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00–4:00 PM. All artwork will be available for purchase in person at the Art House Gallery, located at 345 Marin Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07302, and online via the Art House Online Gallery.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THE EXHIBITION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Is The New Black\u003c\/em\u003e brings together six artists whose practices demonstrate the expressive power, conceptual range, and visual intensity of working in monochrome. Presented at the Art House Gallery in Jersey City, the exhibition features works by \u003cstrong\u003eDaniel Jenkins\u003c\/strong\u003e,\u003cstrong\u003e Kortez\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSomina Mosaku\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTenjin Ikeda\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTolu Olasoji\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eQRCKY\u003c\/strong\u003e—artists who approach black-and-white not as a limitation, but as a generative framework.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStripped of color, the works foreground form, texture, gesture, contrast, and narrative. Black and white become both material and metaphor—a visual language through which issues of identity, perception, documentation, abstraction, and urban experience are distilled and sharpened. Across painting, photography, mixed media, and graphic-based practices, the artists explore how absence and presence, light and shadow, heighten emotional resonance and conceptual clarity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Is The New Black\u003c\/em\u003e challenges viewers to slow down and look closely, revealing how nuance lives within restraint. Together, these works assert that monochrome is not neutral, but charged—capable of carrying complexity, history, and contemporary urgency with striking precision. — Bryant Small, Guest Curator\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrea McKenna\u003c\/strong\u003e, Gallery Director, Art House Productions, says:\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cem\u003eBlack Is The New Black is a powerful meditation on the expressive range of monochrome. By stripping away color, these artists invite viewers to engage further with form, texture, and meaning. The exhibition creates space for quiet intensity and close looking, and we’re thrilled to present work that demonstrates how black and white can hold profound emotional and conceptual weight.\u003c\/em\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeredith Burns\u003c\/strong\u003e, Executive Artistic Director, Art House Productions, says:\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cem\u003eAt Art House, we’re committed to presenting exhibitions that reflect both artistic excellence and lived experience. Black Is The New Black, curated by Bryant Small, brings together a remarkable group of artists whose work speaks to identity, history, and contemporary life with clarity and urgency. We’re proud to host an exhibition that encourages reflection, dialogue, and deeper connection within our community.\u003c\/em\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMEET THE ARTISTS\u003cbr\u003eDaniel Jenkins\u003c\/strong\u003e creates work that merges figurative painting and abstraction, intentionally uniting visual opposites into a distinctive style. Shortly after completing art school, Jenkins experienced severe vision loss and was later diagnosed with a brain tumor pressing on his optic nerves. Following successful surgery and the full restoration of his eyesight, he committed to creating one artwork every day for an entire year. This pivotal period led him to integrate his classically trained figure work with abstract expressionism, blending formal training with lived experience.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKortez\u003c\/strong\u003e is a New Jersey–based multidisciplinary artist and the creator of Esoteric Urbanism, a visual and cultural practice encompassing mixed media, collage, painting, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, photography, fashion, and DJ culture. A graduate of the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, his work draws from pop art, graffiti, African art, and modern influences, often engaging sociopolitical themes through bold imagery and found materials. Kortez exhibits widely and remains deeply involved in community-based creative projects, connecting music and visual art as intertwined expressions of underground culture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQRCKY’s\u003c\/strong\u003e work explores the relationship between the Black diaspora and urban environments, examining how identity is shaped by space, displacement, and cultural memory. Influenced by artists such as Kara Walker and Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as music, architecture, and everyday life, his process emphasizes deconstruction and reassembly as reflections of personal and collective histories. Based in Baltimore, his work captures the city’s resilience, complexity, and layered narratives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSomina Mosaku\u003c\/strong\u003e is a New Jersey–based visual artist whose work engages community, culture, and live artistic practice. She has participated in group exhibitions such as Walls of Life in Newark and is known for dynamic live painting experiences at public events. Mosaku remains actively connected to New Jersey’s creative community and has ties to Rutgers University, reflecting her ongoing engagement with art and education.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTenjin Ikeda\u003c\/strong\u003e is an Afro-Puerto Rican artist born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Self-taught from an early age, Ikeda has practiced art for over 30 years across painting, sculpture, and printmaking. He studied graphic design and fine arts at the School of Visual Arts and later discovered printmaking at the Art Students League, which has been his primary focus for the past 25 years. His work is held in private and public collections internationally, including The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The Print Club of Albany, and the Art Students League. Ikeda has assisted artists Richard Artschwager and Keith Haring and has exhibited nationally and internationally.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTolu Olasoji\u003c\/strong\u003e is an Emmy-winning photojournalist, multimedia artist, and digital storyteller whose work bridges documentary rigor and visual expression. Based in the New York–New Jersey area, his photography and reporting have appeared in Al Jazeera, VICE, Quartz, and The Washington Post. His practice explores culture, society, and current events through socially resonant, image-driven narratives.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMEET THE CURATOR\u003cbr\u003eBryant Small \u003c\/strong\u003eis an independent curator and arts professional whose work centers contemporary artists, community engagement, and accessible exhibition-making. He has organized exhibitions nationwide with institutions and artist-centered spaces including Art House Productions, Mana Contemporary, and the Morris Museum, where he currently serves as Associate Curator. His practice emphasizes dialogue, collaboration, inclusivity, and thoughtful presentation.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eACCESSIBILITY\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eLarge-print materials and tactile, descriptive tours are available upon request.\u003cbr\u003eFor more information, please contact Andrea McKenna at gallery@arthouseproductions.org.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDirections:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.arthouseproductions.org\/pages\/directions\"\u003ehttps:\/\/www.arthouseproductions.org\/pages\/directions\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParking Options:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStreet parking where available.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/spothero.com\/search?kind=address\u0026amp;latitude=40.720581\u0026amp;longitude=-74.0413729\u0026amp;search_string=345+Marin+Boulevard%2C+Jersey+City%2C+NJ%2C+USA\u0026amp;starts=2025-03-17T11%3A30\u0026amp;ends=2025-03-17T14%3A30\u0026amp;view=dl\"\u003ehttps:\/\/spothero.com\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublic Transportation:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTransitapp.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/transitapp.com\/\"\u003ewww.transitapp.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Art House Productions, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43143537852452,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1910\/9719\/files\/5_b647bde6-c46d-44ac-ab28-57bcdcf76f4a.png?v=1769031130"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.arthouseproductions.org\/collections\/black-is-the-new-black-february-2026.oembed","provider":"Art House Productions, Inc.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}