On November 16th, 2022, the New Jersey State Museum will be continuing its Reemergence Artist Talks series. This series highlights two featured artists in the “Reemergence” collection and allow them to discuss their work within the context of the exhibition. The third session will feature Sinéad Hornak & ShinYoung An. The talk will be held in the gallery from 12:15 pm-1:15 pm.
Hornak and An have their works featured as a part of the New Jersey State Museum’s “Reemergence” collection. The exhibit features the works of visual artists and craftspeople throughout the State of New Jersey. The theme of this year’s exhibit was “Reemergence”, tackling the struggles and new challenges we’ve faced as we reemerge into a post-COVID world. The exhibit explores the themes of political and ideological polarization, a collective reckoning of system racism, and the altered sociopolitical landscape that we find ourselves navigating. The exhibit features 127 works from 95 artists who were chosen for the collection.
Per the Secretary of State Tahesha Way, “I extend my congratulations to the artists represented in the New Jersey Arts Annual: Reemergence exhibition, and applaud the New Jersey State Museum, whose vision and collaboration contributed to this timely and powerful presentation. The past two years have been challenging, marked by increasing divide and isolation. Artists have responded to the pandemic, social justice reckoning, economic instability, and acts of violence and war in thoughtful and stimulating ways. Their works help them and us to process these events and reemerge into this forever changing landscape.”
Sinéad Hornak works in multiple mediums, including poetry, freehand embroidery, image transfers, and mixed media. Her work specifically explores the body, the human soul, and how the two intertwine to form our identities. Tackling the taboos associated with the human form, her work challenges viewers to step into a new perspective and reflect on their own physical and spiritual experiences. You can explore more of Sinéad’s work here: Sinéad Hornak – Fine Artist
ShinYoung An is a painter whose main medium is oil paintings. An uses the news as a jumping-off point, using news clippings as a subtle but poignant means to draw attention to the issues of the day. An acknowledged the anxiety associated with reading and listening to the news, and has used her own frustrations as a catalyst to effect change. An plays with the themes of current news and historical works to capture the spirit of the age, with the hopes that her works will inspire viewers to learn from our past to forge a brighter future. More of ShinYoung’s art can be found here: ShinYoung An – Artist
The New Jersey Arts Annual Exhibition is a collaboration of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the New Jersey State Museum. The exhibition features artists from the around the State, accepting submissions from any artist currently living in the state. This year, the exhibit had over 1,999 submissions from 393 different artists. The works selected tell a story of a shared existence, as we collectively cope with a brand-new world. If you have any questions regarding the exhibit, please contact the New Jersey State Museum at NJSM.Info@sos.nj.gov.