PAST EVENTS + EXHIBITS (2018 - Early 2021)
Online! - Preview the Essence of Embodiment Festival
Friday, March 5 | 6-9p | Catch us between 6-7p!
Free! Part of JC Fridays | Register
Curator Iman Louis-Jeune shares a preview of her upcoming Essence of Embodiment Festival, celebrating somatic movement, dance, and film. She'll share a trailer for the film festival and introduce festival teachers! Essence of Embodiment is presented virtually March 18-21 as part of the SMUSH Gallery Curatorial Fellowship in Dance.
Online! SMUSH Gallery’s Triple T(h)reat 3rd Birthday
Friday, February 26 | 8:30-10p via Zoom
TICKETS! | INFO
Celebrate a 3rd, weird year of art and community with SMUSH!
Hosted by GOMO the Ghost with performances by SMUSH artists, plus a silent auction and games of chance and skill!
Recommended Dress: sparkles, shine, and anything pink <3
Can’t make it but want to support? Check out other (fun) ways to do it. Thank you!
Did you know? The Birthday is our fundraiser & a community celebration. Our fundraising goal is $5k. (What do we do with our money? See pg 2) Our community goal is to see YOU and our whole creative community there. Please reach out to hello@smushgallery.com for a free or reduced ticket.
Online! DREAMLIFE
Friday & Saturday, February 19-20 | 8:00p
TICKETS BY DONATION | WATCH | PROGRAM
Our dreams pose questions we wouldn’t have thought to ask. As we try to share them they change, stretch, distill, dissolve… what emerges is a landscape of our collective subconscious - filtered and refracted through our bodies. DREAMLIFE brings together a group of choreographers, each creating an original dance film inspired by dreams, and features new work by Alaina Wilson, Kareem Woods, Tushrik Fredericks, and Maranda Barry with Jes Wittig and Rosy Gentle. Curated by Maranda Barry and presented through the SMUSH Gallery Curatorial Fellowship in Dance. Join us for a Q&A following Saturday’s show!
WATCH link above will be activated prior to the performance. Please note: the link will not be emailed out. <3
Online! GOMO’s Pre-Valentine’s Open Mic & Lounge
Friday, February 5 | 8:00p
TIP JAR | ENTER THE OPEN MIC & LOUNGE
GOMO the ghost presents GOMO’s Pre-Valentine’s Open Mic & Lounge. Joined by instrumentalist Double M 2000 and his Zoom-assistant P. Garvey, GOMO lounges his way through the week before the greatest holiday of the year - Valentine’s Day! - with an hour plus of all your open mic needs: songs, stories, dances, readings, and NO COMEDY. Sparkle something into the virtual tip jar if Cupid moves you. Doors and sign ups at 8:00p, show at 8:30p est. Zoom link posted day of. <3
Online! - Work/Share
January 24, February 18, March 17
6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*)
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, Artistic Director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
Occupation: Artists in 2020
November 14, 2020 - December 20, 2020
See & Shop the Show at our Online Gallery
Occupation: Artists in 2020 is a reflection of the careers and daily lives of the working, hustling, and unemployed artists in America’s 2020. Featuring photography, painting, drawing, collage, and digital painting by Gail Schulman, F. M. Yay, Anna Gichan, Joy Douglas, Shanel Edwards, Kelly Bartnik, and Joselia Hughes, curated by Morgaine De Leonardis.
In Person + Online
Opening weekend: November 14-15, Saturday 12-7p, Sunday 2-6p
Gallery hours Saturdays 12-3p & Sundays 12-6p
Online gallery
Other Occupation Events:
Curator’s Tour (via JC Fridays): December 4, 6-10p | Free! Registration Required
Live Streamed Performance: December 5, 7p
Online! GOMO’s Pre-Christmas Open Mic & Lounge
Friday, December 18 | 8:30p
TIP JAR | ENTER THE OPEN MIC & LOUNGE
GOMO the ghost presents GOMO’s Pre-Christmas Open Mic & Lounge. Joined by instrumentalist Double M 2000 and his Zoom-assistant P. Garvey, GOMO lounges his way through week-before-Christmas-eve — and the last night of Hanukkah! — with an hour of all your open mic needs: songs, stories, dances, readings, and NO COMEDY. Jingle something into the virtual tip jar if the season allows. Doors and sign ups at 8:30p, show at 9p est. Zoom link posted day of. <3
Online! White Space - Conversations for Anti-Racism
Alternate Thursdays, See Schedule Below | 6-7:30p
Free | Register & Join on Zoom << click here
Due to our discussion format, everyone is encouraged to arrive on time. The zoom room will close at 6:15p. As of 11/5/20, due to a reported uptick in hateful, racist Zoom bombings, we are requiring registration for participation. Thank you for understanding <3
White Space - Conversations for Anti Racism is a new Jersey City-based discussion group for white-identifying people seeking support in the efforts of unlearning racism, raising our internal consciousness, and working for racial justice and the dismantling of white supremacy. Free, facilitated. Hosted through SMUSH Gallery with Rabbi Bronwen of Bnai Jacob.
Fall Dates: 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19, 12/3, 12/17
Why meet as a group of white people?
See our meeting format
Feedback Survey
Local organizers to follow: @solidarity.jerseycity | @jcacm.201
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, December 13 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*)
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
Online! Occupy My Mind: Livestream Virtual Performance
Saturday, December 5 | 7-8p via Zoom
Sliding scale $5-35
TICKETS | WATCH
An evening of film, dance, and storytelling by Shanel Edwards, Morgaine De Leonardis, Anna Gichan and Naja Gordon, F.M. Yay, and Joy Douglas. Accessibility: auto-captions, ASL, and Audio Description. Please send additional access inquires to mdeleonardis1237@gmail.com. Presented in conjunction with Occupation: Artists in 2020, currently on view.
To see the show, please click “TICKETS” and make a payment on the sliding scale of $5-35. Then, click “WATCH” to access the performance. Please note, you will not receive a separate follow up email or invitation to the live stream. Just come back to this page at show time and use the WATCH link above.
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, November 29 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*)
Offered on a sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, November 8 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
Offered on a sliding scale $5-30
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
The Zine Show // The Zine Shop
September 11 - October 31, 2020 >> EXTENDED through November 7
SMUSH Gallery presents The Zine Show, a crowd-sourced group exhibition celebrating zines as a medium and an attitude. It’s accompanied by The Zine Shop, a pop up shop for zines and related merchandise. <3
In Person:
Opening weekend: September 11-13
JCAST weekend: October 3-5
Gallery hours Saturdays 12-3p, plus extended hours 12-7p Opening Weekend Sept 12 & 13 and JCAST Weekend October 3 & 4.
Online:
Check out The Zine Shop, now online!
Open through November 7
COVID Care:
If you are sick, please stay home.
All visitors must wear masks over their noses and mouths for the duration of their visit, and all visitors must keep at least 6’ of distance between people/pods. We encourage you to wash your hands and utilize provided hand sanitizer. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the gallery at this time.
Online! - 48 Hour Zine-A-Thon
Friday - Sunday October 23-25 | 7p-7p eastern (48 hours!)
Sliding scale $10-75 | No one turned away for lack of funds
Register here! by October 21
Make a zine in a weekend! What better way to spend 48 hours than pumping out a gorgeous DIY artifact of your own design from the comfort of home with a bunch of other hyped up zinemakers, hosted virtually by Vision Coven and SMUSH Gallery?! Tune in from around the corner or across the country for inspiring sessions sprinkled from Friday to Sunday, 7-7p eastern. We will meet on Zoom <3
FULL SCHEDULE!
Fri 10/23, 7-9p >> Kick Off + Zine Making Session
Sat 10/24, 11:30a-1p >> Tips & Inspiration + Progress Share
Sat 10/24, afternoon >> Office Hours w/Vision Coven
Sun 10/25, 11a-1p >> Brunch Blitz Work Session
Sun 10/25, 6-7p >> Zine Party Wrap Up
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, October 18 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
Offered on a sliding scale $5-30
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
four shores
Saturday October 17 | Live Performances at 9-11a, 4-6p, 8-10p
Sunday October 18 | Live Performances at 10a-12p & 2-4p
Sunday October 18 | Live Post Performance Talk 4:15-5p
Suggested contribution $5-30 or cash day-of
RSVP
DanielRose Projects returns to SMUSH with "four shores," a performance installation evoking a bustling metropolis surrounded by bodies of water, now informed by the social separation of the pandemic. The dancers of DRP perform in two hour loops behind the glass of the storefront window while the audience watches from the sidewalk. With research beginning at SMUSH in July 2018, "four shores" juxtaposes close proximity and separation - inescapable themes during the time of COVID.
Online! - Quarantine: Solo. The No Contact Telethon.
Saturday, October 3 | 4:30p easternFree! Part of JCAST Live | Register for Saturday
Poet-performers Buttered Roll and Sergio Satelite host “Quarantine: Solo. The No Contact Telethon,” live from SMUSH Gallery. Come to place an order (limited supply) for Mr. Roll's "Quarantine: Solo" book (proceeds benefit the Hoboken Shelter), stay for the edge of your seat interviews and derelict performances, and get all the latest updates on SMUSH Gallery and The Zine Show, on view through Oct 31!
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, September 20 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
Offered on a sliding scale $5-30
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 5 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
Online! - Tour The Zine Show, Hosted by GOMO aka Ghost of Mr. Oberon
Friday, September 11 | 7p
Free! Part of JC Fridays | Register
Meet GOMO aka the Ghost of Mr. Oberon and tour The Zine Show! He'll sing, you'll laugh, he'll read, you'll contemplate the afterlife and wash it down with a refreshing Coke Zero. After GOMO takes you through his favorite zines, he may feel a song coming on... and he'll try to haunt the Zoom long enough to take your questions and requests.
About The Zine Show: This fall, SMUSH Gallery presents The Zine Show, a crowd-sourced group exhibition celebrating zines as a medium and an attitude. It is accompanied by The Zine Shop, a pop up shop for zines and related merchandise, and both are open through October 31.
Online! - Info Session on the SMUSH Gallery Curatorial Fellowship in Dance
September 5 | 12p
Join on Zoom
Curious about the new SMUSH Gallery Curatorial Fellowship in Dance? Join our Zoom info session - bring your questions!
SUMMER 2020 ARTS RESIDENCIES
Although the gallery space is closed for public events, independent artists are thriving this summer at SMUSH. Meet our Summer 2020 residency artists:
Benedicto Figueroa, music + poetry
Rita Jimenez, light installation
Heather Warfel-Sandler, dance + craft
Rachel Murdy, performance + visual art
Anisa Rahim, photography
Zach Herchen, music
EXTENDED >> Deadline! Call for Art: The Zine Show
New deadline - August 15
The Zine Show is a large group exhibition celebrating zines as a medium and an attitude, slated for Sept-Oct 2020 at SMUSH. Contribute your zine(s) or apply for our curated pop up, The Zine Shop! All materials are due by August 15. Please note that artists who applied for The Zine Shop by the original deadline of June 30 will receive priority.
See full details at our Call For Art <3
Online! - GOMO TV
Wednesdays & Fridays July 8 - 24 | 9p eastern
Sliding scale $5-30 per episode, $30-50 for the “box set”
Tickets & Streaming Links
The Ghost Of Mr. Oberon aka GOMO picked up singing posthumously. He passed away in September of 2019 and then haunted venues all over the country delighting audiences throughout the Fall. GOMO disappeared in the Winter but was ready to make a comeback at SMUSH Gallery this Spring. However, even his spirit lost the chance to appear for a live audience. In the wake of this disappointment GOMO’s manager suggested they attend therapy. GOMO, hungry for exposure wherever he could get it, recorded the therapy sessions conducted over Zoom. Join GOMO, his manager Gigi, and his accompanist DoubleM2000 Wednesday and Friday nights July 8th through July 24th. Tuning in for a half an hour of therapeutic highlights featuring the unorthodox methods of Dr. A. Wilson will prove that it’s never to late to work on yourself.
īîìïíinches Online!
May 2 - July 5, 2020
īîìïíinches by Myssi Robinson opened at SMUSH March 6, 2020 and, due to COVID-19, closed for public viewing shortly thereafter. Instead of closing as planned May 2, we’re relaunching! Mixed media maximalist work is enshrined in whimsical structural collage and soft lengthened framing. Time, movement, and obsession with materiality invite wonder.
Visit our first digital gallery
Online! - making noise; taking time w/Ezzy Nightingale Wednesday, June 24 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Live stream link below
Please make payment at the link above, then >> join the live stream here! << (Please note, you will not receive a separate follow up email or invitation to the live stream. Just come back to this page at show time and use either of the live stream links above!)
Ezzy Nightingale, More Sound Music Residency artist (April-June ‘20), comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19. Ezzy Nightingale is a singsonger/claytoucher and soulsinger/soultoucher and so on, from Jersey City. making noise; taking time is their final residency concert.
This concert is presented as part of the More Sound Music Residency, co—produced by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Work/Share
Sunday, June 7 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
Saturday, June 20 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
Sunday, June 28 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*) | RSVP
All sessions offered on a sliding scale $5-30
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 6 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p the day of your session to ensure you receive the meeting link. Sign up asap to ensure you get a Presenter slot!
![[Updated] 2020.06.17 - More Sound - Benedicto.png](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5a6270bfccc5c5a934ee08c6/1592934326771-HFGMWBP5P5T193ROYK4U/%5BUpdated%5D+2020.06.17+-+More+Sound+-+Benedicto.png)
Online! - Ben Figueroa Reads Poetry
Wednesday, June 17 | 8p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Live stream link below
*Update - this concert is starting at 8p, not 7p as originally published*
Please make payment at the link above, then >> join the live stream here! << (Please note, you will not receive a separate follow up email or invitation to the live stream. Just come back to this page at show time and use either of the live stream links above!)
Benedicto Figueroa returns - Wednesday he's coming to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19. This time, Ben reads poetry. ♥
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Yoga with Allison
Tuesdays May 19 - June 16 | 6-6:55p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Join local instructor Allison Stovall for a one hour open-level virtual yoga class. We will start with brief guided meditation & move slowly & steadily through sun salutations & onward. Class will be at a pace available to most with opportunity to explore postures or to take rest. All practitioners are always encouraged to find what feels right & to do their own thing. Come as you are!
Allison is a Jersey City-based yoga instructor who has worked with many New Jersey yoga studios & local organizations to share the practice with our communities here in Jersey City. She leads slow, steady, dynamic flow classes, with focus on the link between breath and movement, and the new avenues of energy and thought that this creates. In every class, every student is encouraged to come as they are, to lean in to what they are feeling, and to allow that information to guide them. Since March 2020, Allison has been sharing her teachings from her JC home. She looks forward to continuing to share the practice from her living room to yours.
Online! Artist Talk: Myssi Robinson on ìīíïîinches
June 11 | 2p
$5-30 sliding scale | Tickets & Livestream Link
Join Myssi Robinson for a discussion of her solo visual art show ìīíïîinches moderated by SMUSH Gallery’s artistic director Katelyn Halpern. Audience questions and conversation are welcome. Please note that we will meet on Zoom!
About inches: In her second solo show ìīíïîinches, process-and-materials based artist and performer Myssi Robinson enshrines her mixed media maximalist work in whimsical structural collage and soft lengthened framing. Time, movement, and obsession with materiality invite wonder. Difference is a distance. Let us measure it poetically. ìīíïîinches opened at SMUSH March 6 and hangs in our (covid closed) gallery; the show relaunched online May 2.
About the artist: Myssi Robinson is a self-taught visual artist and professional dancer from Richmond, VA. Jersey City has been home for 8 years. She prioritizes empathy, vibrancy, and layering in her creative work.
Online! - Lateef Dameer in Concert
Wednesday, June 10 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Lateef Dameer comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19. Lateef is a multi disciplined artist just trying to do everything he can in one life. On Wednesday, look forward to “a beat set of some new stuff, some unreleased stuff, and just some bangers.” Emilio Guarino (Hot Wobble) supports on bass.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! Make Your Own Zine - Tips & How To
Friday, June 5 | Event at 7p, We’re on at 8:10p
Free! | Live Stream Registration
You are a zinester... or you could be really soon! Join SMUSH for an ALL AGES how-to zine making workshop and tips for expanding your practice. We will make a one-page poster zine together and talk strategies for other styles. All zines are welcome in our upcoming Zine Show - get inspired! Bring paper and pen.
Presented as part of Virtual ACCESS JC Fridays by Art House Productions.
Online! - Gengis Don in Concert
Wednesday, June 3 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Gengis Don comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19. Look forward to a new kind of performance from Gengis - a DJ set erupting from his talents as a music producer.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Last Call - Earth Day Manifesto
Friday, May 22
Sliding scale $5-30 | Download your copy
We celebrated Earth Day 2020 with the release of Nocturnal Medicine’s beautiful and provocative Earth Day Manifesto, plus a discussion group with the artists. Get your copy and support the artists and SMUSH as we expand our offerings! The manifesto is available through May 22 at the link above. <3
Online! - Alex Pergament in Concert
Wednesday, May 20 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Alex Pergament comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Elliot Cole in Concert
Wednesday, May 13 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Elliot Cole comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
Elliot grew up in Texas writing songs, singing in choirs and musical theater, playing in bands, and making noise collages with a four track cassette-tape studio he assembled in the garage. He has performed his music with Grammy Winners Roomful of Teeth, Grammy Nominees A Far Cry and Metropolis Ensemble, as well as Alkemie Early Music Ensemble, Projeto Arcomusical, the Lucerne Festival Academy, and as a member of the book-club-band Oracle Hysterical. His percussion music has been performed by over 250 percussion ensembles all over the world. In 2017 he was invited by Talks at Google to share his unique approach to music through computer programming. He is on faculty at the The New School and Juilliard Evening Division, and is Program Director of Musicambia at Sing Sing, where he runs a music school for incarcerated men. On Wednesday, Elliot will preview material from his upcoming EP The Fall In, in which dark synthesizers meet intimate sounds from nature - the chime of flowerpots, the wings of hummingbirds.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Work/Share
Monday, May 11 | 6:30-9p (*intro for new artists at 6p*)
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate up to 6 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
We will meet on Zoom!
Sign up by 5:30p 5/11 to ensure you receive the meeting link.
Online! - Rashad Wright in Concert
Wednesday, May 6 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Rashad Wright comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
Rashad Wright is the poet laureate of Jersey City, New Jersey. He is a graduate of New Jersey City University, receiving his BA in English: Creative Writing. His poetry has been heard from both local and national stages via slam poetry. He is the only person to be named “Grandslam Champion of Jersey City Slam” twice. He has competed in Slams in Oakland, San Diego, Spokane, and Denver, once ranking 25th in the country. He has coached Jersey City Slam, the UACHS Poetry Club, and 6th Borough Slam who placed 10th in the world at Brave New Voices 2019. Rashad’s creative work focuses on debunking the glorification of selflessness and sacrifice in communities of color and other disenfranchised groups. Rashad’s work gives visibility to a “self” in an attempt to reclaim the love that these identities deserve. He is currently the host of ManaMic, Jersey City’s biggest open mic series, and has published a fusion of memoir and poetry titled Romeo’s Whiskey. This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Zach Herchen in Concert
Thursday, April 30 | 7pm
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Zach Herchen comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
Zach Herchen presents “In Control,” a modular performance that plays with the ideas of audience and performer by enabling online listeners to decide and create their own blend of sounds. During the performance Zach will broadcast separate audio streams (shared via Zoom chat) of his saxophone and various audio effects/manipulations. The online audience will have control of each audio stream, enabling them to blend the sounds and hear their own unique concert.
Saxophonist Zach Herchen performs contemporary, jazz, and rock music. Zach loves new music and is constantly working with composers. He has premiered dozens of pieces ranging from jazz tone poems to Japanese noise rock to multimedia works. Zach self-released his first CD, “Emerging Voices”, featuring commissioned works for voice and sax with opera singer Elisabeth Halliday. He is the artistic director of Con Vivo Music and performs with First Construction, New Thread Quartet, Rhymes With Opera, Quiet City, and Man Down.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School.
Online! The Earth Day Manifesto - Discussion Group
Wednesday, April 29 | 7-8:30p
$5-30 sliding scale | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Join author/designers Larissa Belcic and Michelle Shofet for a discussion of The Earth Day Manifesto, a guide to compassionate contemporary ecological ethics released by Nocturnal Medicine on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. We’ll gather on Zoom and discuss the Manifesto, the legacy of Earth Day, and what our personal relationships have to do with ecosystems and climate change. Choreographer Dakota Bouher leads movement exercises to ground our bodies in the conversation. Participants are recommended to read the Manifesto prior to our discussion.
Get your copy!
Please note that the Zoom link will be posted the day of the discussion.
Online! - Work/Share
Monday, April 27 | 6:30-9p (Intro for new artists at 6p)
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
**Please note, this session will be held online via Zoom video chat! Sign up by 5:30p 4/27 to ensure you receive the meeting link. We appreciate you making payment via PayPal or by emailing us at hello@smushgallery.com to request an invitation to pay directly by credit card.**
**We are updating the event schedule!**
6:00-6:30p - Introduction to WORK/SHARE (all artists new to WORK/SHARE should participate)
6:30-9:00p - Group hellos, presentations, and responses (everyone participates)
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
Earth Day Manifesto - E-book Release
Wednesday, April 22
Publication $5-30 sliding scale | Download the PDF
The Earth Day Manifesto by Nocturnal Medicine is a guide to compassionate contemporary ecological ethics released April 22, 2020, the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. As we contemplate our world anew - and largely from the confines of home - the manifesto ushers us into relational thinking, reminding us "that Earth is not over there, while we are over here." Every ecosystem, from our gut to our heart to our landscape, is a community in relationship.
Nocturnal Medicine is a creative studio dedicated to cultivating emotional connection to climate change and sustainability. Working to create new, regenerative understandings of self, community, and environment, Nocturnal Medicine designs multi-sensory experiences that help people move through the emotional challenges that arise as we encounter the climatic and ecological crises that define our current moment. Founded by Larissa Belcic and Michelle Shofet in 2017, Nocturnal Medicine aims to build a culture that understands that the way we live and relate to each other and our planet impacts our emotional health; the practice aims to support a way of living based in intimacy and accountability. Belcic and Shofet met while earning their Masters degrees in landscape architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. They share extensive experience in art, design, ecology, education, and community engagement.
Online! - Movie Night with the Just Now Orchestra
Thursday, April 23 | 7p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Movie Night with the Just Now Orchestra comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19. Pop your corn, kick back, and enjoy a two surreal short films - “Silo” and “I’m Here” - accompanied by a live improvised soundtrack.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Ezzy Nightingale in Concert
Wednesday, April 15 | 7pm
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Ezzy Nightingale, More Sound Music Residency artist (April-June ‘20) comes to you via live stream in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
Ezzy Nightingale is a singsonger/claytoucher and soulsinger/soultoucher and so on, from Jersey City. Taking:note/making:space is a visit to the space/spaces their pain and fear and joy occupy/occupies, and a look at how they have looked at some things and what they see. Wednesday, expect a short set of original somethings and covers.
This concert is presented as part of the More Sound Music Residency, co—produced by SMUSH Gallery and After School JC.
Online! - Ben Figueroa in Concert
Wednesday, April 8 | 7-8p
Sliding scale $5-30 | Tickets & Live Stream Link
Ben Figueroa comes to you via live stream as the inaugural act in our More Sound Mini Series, keeping local performance going in the time of COVID-19.
As if you didn’t already know, Benedicto Figueroa is a self taught writer, actor, poet, and stage performer. He is the founder of Jersey City Slam which he began in 2009, and he’s competed at the National Poetry Slam in 2010 and 2016. In 2012 Figueroa was named Poet Laureate of Union City, NJ and was the recipient of the Person of Influence at the 2014 Jersey City Fashion Week. He was also the Montclair State University Slam Team Coach for C.U.P.S.I. 2014 team which placed 4th in the nation. He’s headlined shows at The Howl Festival, Bowery Poetry Club, The Carlos Williams Carlos Foundation and led workshops and classes at Pace University, Rutgers University, William Patterson University, New Jersey City University, University of New Mexico, and high schools and grade schools throughout New York and New Jersey. He has toured with the performance poetry group The Mayhem Poets, has written and starred in the stage play SickLove for No Peeking Theatre, was featured in TEDxJersey City, and was most recently published in Instigatorzine, Lamplighter Magazine, Jersey City Independent, and the anthology Solo Para Locos. Figueroa is a member of the Just Now Orchestra, who’s debut album DOUG was released in February 2020.
This concert is presented by SMUSH Gallery and After School.
Online! - Work/Share
Monday, April 6 | 6:30-9p
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
**Please note, this session will be held online via Zoom video chat! Sign up by 6p 4/6 to ensure you receive the meeting link. We appreciate you making payment via PayPal or by emailing us at hello@smushgallery.com to request an invitation to pay directly by credit card.**
**We are updating the event schedule!**
6:30-6:50p - Introduction to WORK/SHARE (all artists new to WORK/SHARE should participate)
6:50-9:00p - Group hellos, presentations, and responses (everyone participates)
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery.
We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
Online! - Work/Share
March 22 | 6:30-9p
Sliding scale $5-30 | RSVP
**Please note, this session will be held online via Zoom video chat! Sign up by 6p 3/22 to ensure you receive the meeting link. We appreciate you making payment via PayPal or by emailing us at hello@smushgallery.com to request an invitation to pay directly by credit card.**
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery.
We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
Drag Queen Megillah Hour
March 9 | 7p Doors, 7:30p Megillah Reading
$5 ticket to support the arts in Jersey City <3
Purim, that holiday where we celebrate the fierce speaking-truth-to-power realness of Queen Esther, is finally being celebrated the way it should be: IN DRAG. Sister Mary Helen has come straight from church to do Purim right — be there to hear the whole T, you don't want to miss out on this party.
Drag Queen Megillah Hour is hosted with Rabbi Bronwen, rabbi of Congregation Bnai Jacob, a progressive homegrown synagogue on Jersey City’s West Side.
Opening Reception for īîìïíinches by Myssi Robinson
March 6 | 6-10p
Free & open to the public! Also JC Fridays!
SMUSH Gallery’s Double Bubble 2nd Birthday
February 28 | 6:30p
Tickets!
Celebrate another year of creativity and community! Tickets include light bites, beverages, photo op, silent auction, games of chance and skill, and bubbles of all kinds. Recommended dress: bubbles, baubles, and anything pink.
Support us! Pick-a-Plaque is back <3
pc: Robin Stuyverson
12 Hours
February 21 & 22 | 9a-9p
$10-25 | Tickets
Sarah Rose, in collaboration with Janet Cesarotti, Alexandra Lance, Mia Martelli, and Sydney Parker, revisit and reinvent their present and past selves across two consecutive days of 12-hour movement and visual design installations. Guests gain entry for the whole day and may come when they like, stay as long as they like, or leave and come back later.
Heart Echoes: Paintings by Marta Blair
January 25 - February 15, 2020
Preview January 25, 12-4p
Opening Reception January 30, 6-9p
Gallery Hours Thursdays 5-8p, Saturdays 12-4p
Heart Echoes: Paintings by Marta Blair combines large loose canvases and small mixed media works created through a process of transformation and addition, removal, erasure, and change. Incorporating textile, paper, and prints, Blair’s work layers fragments of time and materials with the complexity and fluidity of life itself. “It involves, for me, that abstract sense of time - connected with the heart - which is so present in every piece. The heart exists and can beat fast and loud even before the brain is formed in an embryo, and that always fascinates me. The heart is already there, first in line! It has been for a long time a question, a reason, a guide, a mystery,” says Marta. Heart Echoes includes work from 2003 to present and is the artist’s first solo exhibition.
Honey, What’s a Femdom?
February 14 | 7:30p
$25 presale, $28 door | Tickets (in person)
Just added! Live Stream Tickets
This Valentine’s snuggle up to Dahlia Rain, prodomme, for a night of fun and sex positivity hosted by comedian Kayt Hester. In conversation, Dahlia and Kayt take up burning sex and relationship questions: Why do we do kink? Is it for me? How do I talk to my partner about what I want? What is a femdom? Plus bring your Qs and get your As, all with safety and communication at the center. Light bites and beverages by Alana Puentes, Most Wanted Chef. <3
Movie Night w/the Just Now Orchestra
January 31 | 8p
$12 door
It’s Friday night at the movies! Kick back, relax, and enjoy “Italian Spiderman” with a live improvised soundtrack by the Just Now Orchestra. Free popcorn!
Gengis Don & The Empire
January 22 | 7p
$12 door
Gengis Don - drummer, producer, song writer, engineer and bandleader - combines his deep knowledge of Hip Hop and his study of jazz/improvisational music to create the music of The Empire. Gengis Don & the Empire are More Sound Music Residency artists, and this concert is presented as part of the More Sound Music Residency, a co-production of SMUSH Gallery and After School Activities.
Art on Toast
a surreal collection from SMUSH Gallery
On view November 15, 2019 - January 18, 2020
Opening reception November 15, 6-9p
JC Fridays Party December 6, 6-9p
Gallery hours Thursdays 5-8p & Saturdays 12-4p
Featuring artwork by Samid Ali, Francis Bacon, Jean-Michele Basquiat, Marta Blair, Fernando Botero, Sandro Botticelli, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cezanne, Dan Crane, Cutpasteface, Giorgio de Chirico, Edgar Degas, Charles Demuth, Fred Fleisher, Philip Hardy, Jacob Lawrence, Rene Magritte, Edouard Manet, Kerry James Marshall, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Natalie Preston, Primcess, Buttered Roll, Bill Rood, Linda Ryan, Cindy Sherman, Kayla Smith, Brad Terhune, Wayne Thiebaud, Lana Thymianidis, Cy Twombly, Kees van Dongen, Vincen Van Gogh, Emily Walek, Kara Walker, and Janina Williams on toast.
pc: Mathew Pokoik
"I wonder if she can tell I'm hard right now... Hmm." and Other Classics
January 8 | 8p
$12 door
Maybe it's a mixture of slush and dirt on the streets of Jersey City in January, but in here, in THIS space, there's only warmth, and a bevy of scenes and songs that can only be described as a tasteful blend of liberal arts college cologne and microwaved Dr. Pepper. Paul Pinto invites you to a salon gathering of new and relatively recent music theaters, sound experiments, words, dances and drones. Expect music videos, old turntables, autotune, electronics, lamps, and some very special guest performers.
Presented as part of the More Sound Music Residency, a co-production of SMUSH Gallery and After School Activities.
Work/Share January 5 | 6:30-9p
$15-30, sliding scale | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive setting, moderated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery.
We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
The Just Now Orchestra & Bonnie Lander
December 23 | 7p
$10 door
Live improvised music and poetry from Jersey City’s The Just Now Orchestra with guest performance by singer Bonnie Lander.
Presented as part of the MORESOUND Music Residency, a co-production of After School Activities and SMUSH Gallery.
The Ukuladies in Wintertime!
December 14
Kids Show at 5p | $5-10 | Tickets
Adult Show at 7:30p | $15-30 | Tickets
Nothing says the holidays like cowboy aprons, fake mustaches, and a tap-dancer on a stick horse! Celebrate the season with the perpetually touring Ukuladies, bringing their Canadian-wintry-wonder to Jersey City. Expect an evening of angelic 3-part harmonies and a colorful array of instruments and antics. "The four endlessly charming Ukuladies...zany, smart, musically spot-on and action-packed – full of sass and spunk..."-Albany Times Union
At the Kids show, enjoy balloon animals and sing-alongs - fun for the whole family!
At the Adult show, expect a whole helping of double-entendre!
Find these events on Facebook!
Gengis Don & the Empire
December 13 | 7:30p Doors
$12
Gengis Don - drummer, producer, song writer, engineer and bandleader - combines his deep knowledge of Hip Hop and his study of jazz/improvisational music to create the music of The Empire. Gengis Don & the Empire are MORESOUND Music Residency artists, and this concert is presented as part of the MORESOUND Music Residency, a co-production of SMUSH Gallery and After School Activities.
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 9
December 12 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
Join us for up-close-and-personal dance and performance from Jersey City and beyond, featuring Elizabeth Burr, Gabriella Di Giuseppe & Bridget James Ling, Arianna Dunmire & Adelo Rodriguez, Nathan Forster/ReFrame Dance Theatre, Mikaela Morisato, Linda Ryan & Melissa Joy Livermore, and Jennifer Wrede. Reception to follow!
Introduction to Ableton w/Elliot Cole
December 10 | 3-9p
$25-50 sliding scale | Registration required
This 6-hour workshop will introduce you to the music production software Ableton Live. You’ll make beats, work with samples, edit MIDI, record audio – all the basics you need to create your own music. Bring your own laptop with Ableton downloaded (trial version OK); headphones; optional: any MIDI keyboard or controller you may have; and if you want to record audio, bring a microphone and audio interface. Please RSVP to instructor: elliotccole@gmail.com.
Elliot Cole is a composer and producer. He teaches Ableton at The New School and Juilliard. His album Nightflower is "music of endless discovery" (A Closer Listen).
T-Shirt Pop Up Shop
November 30 | 2-8p
Celebrate Small Business Saturday with SMUSH! Our pop up shop highlights local artists’ t-shirts and artwork, just in time to kick off your holiday shopping season. Featuring noaesthetics, Last Place Winners, KeithKreations, Luner, Growth Edge, and New Genre, plus artwork and merch from SMUSH’s Art on Toast.
Netted Seas: work by Zoe Frederick & Caroline McAuliffe
On view October 4 - November 9
Opening reception October 4, 6-10p [JCAST!]
Extended JCAST hours October 5 & 6, 12-8p
Gallery hours Thursdays 5-8p & Saturdays 12-4p
Netted Seas surveys a landscape of the ocean as woman and creator, forming alien artifacts. Departing from the romanticized histories of seafarers and women’s labor, Netted Seas assembles a collection of masks, weavings, and curiosities that piece together a new truth.
Work/Share
November 3 | 6:30-9p
$15-30, sliding scale | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive, moderated setting. Facilitated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
Masked Halloween Dance Party
October 31 | 7-10p
$10 presale, $15 at the door | Tickets
Come ready to dance your face off at SMUSH's Masked Halloween Dance Party, presented in affiliation with "Netted Seas: work by Zoë Frederick & Caroline McAuliffe”! Wear masks provided by the artists or bring your own. Free popcorn and candy all night long!
Beginning Weaving Workshop
October 26 | 1-4p
$10 suggested | RSVP by 10/25
Make a mini weaving with colorful and funky supplies on simple DIY cardboard looms or with sticks! All supplies provided. Participants will learn various techniques including plain weave, rya knots, and loops. Provided materials include: yarn, tapestry needles, cardboard, sticks, pencils, scissors, and resource materials. Presented in affiliation with Netted Seas: work by Zoe Frederick & Caroline McAuliffe, on view October 4 - November 9.
Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 5 participants to run this workshop.
The Wet Lounge: A Meadowlands Clubhouse
October 25 | 7:30-10:30p
$10 suggested
The Wet Lounge: A Meadowlands Clubhouse is a pop-up community space dedicated to the pleasures of intimacy and co-existence with Jersey City's neighboring ecosystem, the New Jersey Meadowlands. Brought to you by SMUSH Gallery and the Meadowlands Party, a new initiative devoted to creating intimate and just connections with the Meadowlands, we invite you for an evening of chill vibes, tunes, and relaxation inside a saucy multi-media dream of ecological communion with our local wetlands.
The Wet Lounge is a counter-space to the opening of the new mega-mall American Dream Meadowlands, an enormous complex of shopping and entertainment set to open after 16 years under construction. In response, we invite you to get to know the squishy and strange land it occupies and engage with how the project fits into the long, complex, and often extractive history of land use in the Meadowlands.
The Wet Lounge is generously supported by FRANKIE.
The Just Now Orchestra w/ Max and Los Americanos
October 23 | 7p
$10 door
Presented as part of the More Sound Music Residency, a co-production of SMUSH Gallery and After School Activities. <3
Open Crafting Circle: Lez Craft
October 20th | 1-4p
$10 suggested w/a percentage benefitting the Hudson Pride Center | RSVP by 10/18
We invite you to an open crafting circle hosted in partnership with Lez Fest. You are welcome to bring in projects you are working on, like mending, knitting, quilting, and embroidery, or collaborate with the artists on aspects of their personal projects, such as braiding plastic bags into rope and hand crocheting. Foster a sense of community and connection while you work! Presented in affiliation with Netted Seas: work by Zoe Frederick & Caroline McAuliffe, on view October 4 - November 9.
Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 5 participants to run this workshop.
Alex & Ben Play Quietly
October 5 | 7p
No cover!
Celebrate JCAST with the quiet stylings of Alex Pergament & Ben Figueroa. No cover; contributions accepted <3
The Silent Committee
Saturdays September 7 - October 12 | 10:30-11:30a
$5 door
Join fellow silence-lovers in peaceful silence for a silent hour on Saturday mornings. Bring anything you’d like - yoga mat, journal, The New Yorker, needlepoint, sketchpad, coffee thermos - to occupy your silent time. No tech. No shoes.
Tangible Imaginings
September 6 - 29
Opening reception September 6, 6-9p [JC Fridays!]
Artists’ Talk September 28, 5-6p
Closing reception September 28, 6-9p
Tangible Imaginings, curated by Fred Fleisher, draws together the visual artwork of Eun Young Choi, Marguerite Day, Laurie Riccadonna, and Woolpunk. Centered on the notion of the Material, the show considers each artist’s manipulations, transformations, and uses of materials to comment upon our larger frame of reference in the everyday.
On view Thursdays 5-8p, Saturdays 12-4p, Sunday 9/14 and 9/28 12-4p, in conjunction with gallery events, and by appointment.
The Just Now Orchestra & Viktor.Digital
September 23 | 7-10p
$10 door
Live & improvised music <3
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 8
September 20 | 8p
$10-30 | Tickets
Up-close-and-personal dance and performance from Jersey City and beyond, featuring work by Paul Giarratano, paspe/moves, Black Sheep Contemporary Ensemble, Ellie van Bever, Sydney Parker, and Sarah Rose. Reception to follow! <3
Bonnie&Batya + LoveLoveLove
September 15 | 7p
$10 door
New + experimental music <3 Baltimore-based Bonnie&Batya (Bonnie Lander [soprano] and Batya Macadam-Somer [violin]) present excerpts from György Kurtág’s Kafka Fragments, as well as music by Los Angeles-based composer Carolyn Chen. LoveLoveLove (Paul Pinto, Bonnie Lander, Kayleigh Butcher) is a dramatic cult-leading, jive jaw, strange, stoic, sprechstimme, shiv-to-the-rib, vit-vit-vittles virtuosic Shaggy meets Alanis meets dream-ballet shoved-cloth scream muffled soundascope from a new trio of voxes representing Brooklyn, Baltimore and Jersey City; LLL presents performance pieces, songs and microtheatres featuring voice, electronics, lamps and video projection.
Work/Share
September 11 | 6:30-9p
$15-30, sliding scale | RSVP
Work/Share invites creative people of all fields and disciplines to share work-in-progress and get top-notch feedback in a constructive, moderated setting. Facilitated by Katelyn Halpern, artist/artistic director of SMUSH Gallery. We can accommodate 5-7 presenters per session at 8-12 minutes of presentation each; an unlimited number of responders are welcome to attend. Your RSVP is appreciated as we require a minimum of 3 presenters to run each session.
Find Your Funny: Improv Comedy Workshop
September 10 | 7-9p
$35 | Tickets *Registration deadline Friday, 9/6*
Find your funny! This workshop is designed for both beginning and experienced improvisors who want to learn how improv can benefit their personal, professional and creative lives. The two-hour crash courses is supportive, fun, and engaging, and taught by Brittany Brave (UCB, The Second City, iO).
Refresh Your Headshots w/ Joey Sbarro
August 31 | 10a-6p
$50 w/ reservation | $75 walk-in
Email joeysbarrophotography@gmail.com to book
Summer 2019 Interdisciplinary Arts Residencies
July 8 - August 25
Myssi Robinson, Visual Art
Sarah Rose, Dance
Nerissa Tutiven, Visual Art
Larissa Belcic, Landscape Architecture/Social Practice
Holly Ledbetter, Dance
Leslie Ann Kilpatrick, Dance/Pedagogy
Field Trip w/ Larissa Belcic [Bayway Oil Refinery/ Morses Creek Area]
August 3 | 11a-3p
RSVP Required
“As part of the early phases of a larger project to create intimacy and connection between the landscapes of the New Jersey Meadowlands and its surrounding communities, we will take a trip to the area around the Bayway/Phillips 66 Oil Refinery, located at the border of Linden and Elizabeth, New Jersey. There we will explore and inhabit this simultaneously industrialized and wild landscape through walking/moving, our senses, and structured activity. Space is limited as we will travel by car, so please RSVP to labelcic@gmail.com. We will begin and end the day at SMUSH Gallery.”
- Larissa
After School Activities | “TouchTouchTouch”
July 3 | 7:30-10p
$5 door | FB Event
Open stage music and poetry improvisation. All performers are in contact with two others while on stage.
TouchTouch: Interactive Sculpture by Alex Pergament & Friends
June 13 - July 3
Opening reception June 13, 6-9p
Come touch art! Become the viewer and creator with Alex Pergament and collaborators’ interactive sculptures. Collaborators include John Fathom, Katelyn Halpern, Lucy Rovetto, and Nicky Watts. Snacks and drinks on offer; cash contributions appreciated ♥
On view Sat & Sun 12-4p, in conjunction with gallery events, and by appointment.
After School Orchestra | COVER(songs)
June 23 | 7:30p
$10 door | FB Event
Improvisations starting as cover songs, featuring After School Orchestra (Benedicto Figueroa, Nick Afflitto, Zach Herchen, and Alex Pergament), Chill Brown, and The Cobbles (Maxwell Feinstein, Darryl Joo, and Nick Rifkin).
7:30p After School Orchestra
8:20p Chill Brown
9:00p The Cobbles
Sound + Motion Improvisation
June 18 | 7-9p
$10 door
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 7
June 8 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
Join us for up-close-and-personal dance and performance from Jersey City and beyond, featuring work by Katelyn Halpern & Dancers, Symara Johnson, Lydia Perakis, Britta Joy Peterson, Tessa Ritchey, Kelsey Saulnier, Alaina Wilson. Reception to follow!
Sound + Motion Improvisation
May 28 | 7-9p
$10 door
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
Message In A Bottle
May 17 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
"Message In A Bottle" is a surreal but true-to-life love story between a woman and her bottle of vodka, from the early days of awkward first love to the ultimate betrayal, and realization that life going forward isn’t just doable — it can be beautiful.
Written and Performed by Michelle Drozdick
Directed by Adrian Sexton
Zero to 70 // Seventy Works of Art for $70 or Less
May 3 - June 9
Opening reception May 3, 6-9p
Closing reception June 7 (also JC Fridays!), 6-9p
Last year’s “Zero to 60” was so much fun, we decided to do it again in 2019 — just a little… more so. Join us for this high energy art show with work priced to move! On view Sat & Sun 12-4p, in conjunction with gallery events, and by appointment. featuring work by Audrey Chou, Celeste Hutchings, Kruti Rita Kothari, Natalie Lam, Rachel Murdy, Deirdre Newman, Alex Pergament, Dan Peyton, Christian Porfido, Carolyn Ramella, Kelsey Reilly, Myssi Robinson, Buttered Roll, Frances Ross, Kasia Skorynkiewicz, Kayla Smith, Brad Terhune, Emily Walek, Randi Wolfman, and Jacqueline Wu.
We Are Particles : A Contemporary Dance Mixed Bill
April 25-26 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
Program A - April 25:
Us, American by Madelyn Sher
Burrow, tousle by Amanda Maraist + Kara Brody + Chrissy Martin
We Are Particles (work in progress) by Katelyn Halpern & Dancers
Program B - April 26:
CensorSh** by MURDERDANCE
a tender provocation by jhon r. stronks
We Are Particles (work in progress) by Katelyn Halpern & Dancers
Please note: Program B contains nudity and may not be appropriate for all audiences.
In The In Between: Contemporary Queer Portraiture
March 29 - April 21, 2019
Queerness exists in the gray areas. Living on the cusp, in the “in between,” provides us, and those like us, a unique perspective. From this vantage, we see the boundaries of “normal” - boundaries that we aim to reshape to include all of us.
Drawings, paintings, and photography by John Brooks, Adam Chuck, Mati Gelman, John MacConnell, Melody Melamed, and Joey Sbarro, curated by Joey Sbarro.
On view during gallery hours Sat & Sun 12-4p, in conjunction with gallery events, and by appointment.
Please note: ‘In The In Between’ contains nudity and mature themes, and may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Find Your Funny: Improv Comedy Workshop
April 20 | 4-6p
$35 | Tickets *Registration deadline Wednesday, 4/17*
Find your funny! This workshop is designed for both beginning and experienced improvisors who want to learn how improv can benefit their personal, professional and creative lives. The two-hour crash courses is supportive, fun, and engaging, and taught by Brittany Brave (UCB, The Second City, iO).
Sound + Motion Improvisation
April 18 | 7-9p
$10 door
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
An Evening In The In Between
April 13 | 6-10p
Join us for an evening of discussion, performance, and camaraderie!
6:00-7:00p Artist Discussion Panel
7:30-9:00p Music & Performances
9:00-10:00p Mix & Mingle Reception
About the Panel:
Hudson Pride Center’s Community Coordinator Josh Bell hosts a conversation about life on the cusp among ‘In The In Between’ artists and HPC Client Services Counselor Max Laffend. Free.
About the Performances:
Variety show mixing live music, modern dance, and poetry by queer-identifying artists. Featuring MAPS OF (music), Madison Negron (poetry), Dot Armstrong, and more. $10 at the door.
About the Reception:
Hang out with the artists, speakers, and community <3 Snacks and drinks on offer; cash contributions appreciated.
Please note: ‘In The In Between’ contains nudity and mature themes, and may not be appropriate for all audiences.
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 6
April 6 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
Up-close and personal dance & performance; reception to follow <3
Performances by:
spacejunk dance
Holly Ledbetter
MotionVivid by Dat Nguyen
occo | Kelsey Greenway
Morgaine A. De Leonardis & Elisa Hernandez
Katie Hardin
Mignolo Dance
In The In Between: Contemporary Queer Portraiture - Opening Reception
March 30 | 6-9p
Queerness exists in the gray areas. Living on the cusp, in the “in between,” provides us, and those like us, a unique perspective. From this vantage, we see the boundaries of “normal” - boundaries that we aim to reshape to include all of us.
Drawings, paintings, and photography by John Brooks, Adam Chuck, Mati Gelman, John MacConnell, Melody Melamed, and Joey Sbarro, curated by Joey Sbarro.
On view March 29 - April 21 at gallery hours Sat & Sun 12-4p, in conjunction with gallery events, and by appointment.
Please note: ‘In The In Between’ contains nudity and mature themes, and may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Color of the Snow
March 29 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
It begins with snow, a girl, and a little black cat...
Cherry Chen presents Color of the Snow, a premiere of mixed media performance about dreams, growth, and love. Chen's original compositions weave Taiwanese, Mandarin, and English into an evening of performance by Cherry Chen (vibraphone/voice) and Geo Progulakis (piano), with visual art by Wei-en Yang.
SMUSH Gallery’s Frothy, Cake-Smushing First Birthday Party!
February 28 | 6:30p
We are throwing a big ol’ party February 28th. Tickets
Early bird tickets (starting at $20!) available through Jan 31!
Sound + Motion Improvisation
February 21 | 7-9p
$10 drop in
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
Home Space
On View February 1 - 24
Opening Reception February 1 | 7-10p
Home Space is a group show exploring the worlds we build for ourselves. Through the use of color, material, and different representations of space, Home Space delves into our personal comforts, intimacies and vulnerabilities. Featuring work by Danni Bellando, Emily Glascott, Tiffany Fang and Rebecca Spodick. Curated by Danni Bellando. On view through February 24.
Opening reception features live music by Julep Maisey, Ghost Grace, and Talulah Paisley.
FAKE SUMMER
a concert to benefit the Subsidized Summer Arts Residency Program <3
January 30 | 8p
$10 at the door
Music, comedy, dance, and hot dogs in a can't-believe-it's-not-summer setting.
All proceeds support our Subsidized Summer Arts Residency fundraiser, aiming to give artists free space to make work! Performances by Madison Negron, Molly McGrath, Brittany Brave, Corinne Shearer, Chill Brown, Alex Pergament & Ariel Guidry, and more. Co-hosted by Stacy Collado and Molly McGrath.
Sound + Motion Improvisation
January 29 | 7-9p
$10 drop in
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
Soft News
immediate, everyday artwork for the human in you <3
On View November 30 - January 27
Featuring work by Emma Bjornsen, Yogee Chandrasekaran, Fred Fleisher, Hailey Dugan, John Erbach, Kerry Kolenut, Brittany Maldonado, Charlotte Marino, Deirdre Newman, Sanika Phawde, Joy Alicia Raines, Joe Remmert, Brad Terhune, Emily Walek, and Randi Wolfman, curated by Katelyn Halpern.
Opening Reception December 7, 6-9p
Family Focused Open Studio Days December 8th & 15th, January 19th & 26th
Closing Reception January 25, 6-9p
Gallery Hours Sat & Sun 12-4p (closed for holidays, dates TBD)
Join us for family-focused Open Studio days!
Saturday December 8th & 15th, and January 19th & 26th
12-3p
Families with kids of all ages are invited to drop in, get creative, and make their own art inspired by the current exhibition! Materials and guidance are provided. $5 per participant. Children may not be left unattended during Open Studio.
Soft News - Closing Reception
January 25 | 6-9p
Join the artists and curator for one last evening with Soft News! Artist Christo Pratt offers $10 newsprint portrait quick-sketches sessions throughout the evening, and we’ll have ‘classified’ snacks and drinks on hand; cash contributions appreciated <3
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 5
Up-close and personal dance & performance <3
January 19 | 8p
$10-15 | Tickets
Performances by:
Oluwadamilare Ayorinde // the lab / Tessa Brinza // Ross Daniel // GolDaCo // gual + moves // Jess Grippo / You Can Dance Again // Caroline Labreche // Rachel Winchester & Dakota Bouher
Sound + Motion Improvisation
December 12 | 10:30a-12:30p
$10 drop in
Alex Pergament and Katelyn Halpern lead two hours of music- and movement-based improvisation.
Opening Reception - Soft News
December 7 | 6-9p [also JC Fridays!)
Soft News is a group show of immediate, everyday artwork for the human in you <3
Join us for the opening reception Friday, December 7th from 6-9p. While you're here, get your News From Beyond from tarot reader Joe Monteleone and enjoy classified snacks & drinks; cash contributions appreciated.
Featuring work by Emma Bjornsen, Yogee Chandrasekaran, Fred Fleisher, Hailey Dugan, John Erbach, Kerry Kolenut, Brittany Maldonado, Charlotte Marino, Deirdre Newman, Sanika Phawde, Joy Alicia Raines, Joe Remmert, Brad Terhune, Emily Walek, and Randi Wolfman.
SMUSH Moves, Vol. 4
Up-close and personal dance from Jersey City & beyond
November 30 | 8p
$10-15 | TICKETS
Featuring Performances by:
SAXYN/DanceWorks
Loretta D Fois
Dakota Bouher / BODY PARTY
Maribel Plasencia
Micayla Wynn & Adriana Santoro
N-root Danceart
TheLAB by SGalberth
Heartstrung, an immersive installation by Talita Cabral & Katelyn Halpern
October 5 - November 18
Opening Reception: October 5, 6-10p
JCAST Hours: October 6-7, 12-8p
Closing Reception: November 10, 6-9p
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4p
Join us for family-focused Open Studio days!
Saturday October 6th & 20th, November 10th
12-3p
Families with kids of all ages are invited to drop in, get creative, and make their own art inspired by the current exhibition! Materials and guidance are provided. $10 per participant. Children may not be left unattended during Open Studio.
Midterms are Coming: Vote For Freedom!
Tuesday, Oct. 30 - Tuesday, Nov. 6
In the week prior to midterm elections, SMUSH Gallery invites our community to share their hopes, demands, and dreams in partnership with the For Freedoms Lawn Sign project. Completed lawn signs will be displayed in our street facing window as encouragement for all our neighbors to engage with our elections and get out the vote.
Read more about For Freedoms | Visit the FB event page | See photos on IG
Natural Dye Workshops with Talita Cabral
Friday, October 19, 6-9p
Sunday, October 21, 3-6p
Discover the shades of cochineal with a handmade natural dye workshop with local artist Talita Cabral. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to experience cochineal hands-on in an open artisanal environment, experiment with basic methods, and create works of their own. The project for October 19 is a scarf, and for October 21, a tote bag.
Open to adults and teens 15+. No experience necessary. All materials included. Workshops are offered on a sliding scale from $35-65; please select the price that best suits your budget.
RSVP by Tuesday, October 16; email hello@smushgallery.com to reserve your spot!
In This House: Gestures of Unrest by Rina Espiritu
August 30 - September 28, 2018
Opening Reception: September 7 (JC Fridays!), 6-9p
Closing Reception: September 28, 6-9p
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4p
SMUSH Moves, Vol 3
August 30 | 8p
$15 general | $10 artist/student
Tickets
Join us for up-close-and-personal dance and performance from Jersey City and beyond. Reception to follow <3
Performances by Copy That Dance // tedted Performance Group // Bianca Falco // Gabrielle Johnson // Grant Jacoby Dance // Rebecca Fitton // Stacy Collado // Alex Lance
Rat Ball
August 25 | 7-10p
Masters of ceremony Sam Pullin and Noah Tavlin cordially invite you to attend Rat Ball 2018, an evening of rat jazz, rat revelry, ratfle prizes, and a rattiest rat award. Slip into your comfort zone amongst installation, artwork, and design curated just for rats. Also presenting: The Vermin Jazz Trio featuring king rat David Zaks.
Attire: Rat Formal
Info | RSVP
The Summer 2018 Subsidized Residency Program offers curated artists of all disciplines space for studio work, rehearsal, and performance. In residence this summer:
Grant Jacoby (Week of July 30)
Curet Performance Project (Week of August 6)
Valleto Dance (Week of August 13)
Sam Pullin + Noah Tavlin (Week of August 20)
Be Southern by Breathing Art Company
Workshops, Photography, and Dance from Southern Italy
July 27-29 | Free & Ticketed Events
July 27
Opening reception 6-9p; Performance at 7:30p (FREE)
July 28
Workshop: William’s Women: Exploring Violence With Shakespeare’s Fairer Sex, 11a-1p (TICKETS)
Gallery Hours: 6-9p (FREE)
July 29
Workshop: SUD: Southern Identity Across the Globe, 11a-1p (TICKETS)
Gallery Hours: 6-9p (FREE)
Glacier (Nest)
by Katelyn Halpern
July 11 - 29, 2018
On view 24/7 in our storefront window.
The "Art" of Translation Workshop, Part 2
with Charly Santagado of mignolo dance
July 17 | 6:30-8:30p
$20 general, $10 student | TICKETS
Translating across languages and boundaries is more important than ever, but how can we (and why should we) translate across artistic mediums? Join us as we explore how the arts relate and collaborate to make "artistic translations." All mediums welcome!
A Day with eSKay Art Collective
July 14 | Tickets
12:00pm Technique Class
1:30pm Improv with Music Workshop
5:30pm Performance
eSKay Arts Collective-established in 2016 by Shannon Reynolds and Kelly Flansburg, eSKay Arts Collective has grown into a collaboration of artists who are able to grow their ideas through sharing resources and engaging the talents and support of fellow artists in the collective.
TRANSLOCATE
by DanielRose Projects
July 9-10
Free & Ticketed Events | Tickets
'TRANSLOCATE' is a two day performance installation by collaborative artists Ross Daniel and Sarah Rose (DanielRose Projects) showcasing immersive visual art and dance material developed at different sites around the greater NYC area. The gallery will be open to the public across two days as the artists shape their material to the space. The artists will give a formal presentation of material the evening of July 10.
July 9: open to the public 11a-8p (FREE)
July 10: open to the public 11a-4p (FREE)
July 10: performance 8p (Ticketed)
Modern Life: paintings by Tom Wolf
June 15 - July 6, 2018
Opening reception: Fri. June 15, 6-9p
Closing reception: Fri. July 6, 6-9p
The opening reception features a performance by Jersey City's premiere a capella do wop group, The Prom Dates! The closing reception features Prince covers by The Beautiful Ones. Performances at 7:30p.
SMUSH Gallery is open by appointment and in conjunction with other gallery events. Please see our upcoming events or email hello@smushgallery.com to make an appointment.
Zero to 60 // fast art // sixty dollars max
May 25 - June 9
Opening: Friday 5.25, 6-10p
JC Fridays Party: Friday 6.1, 6-10p
Closing: Saturday 6.9, 6-10p
Experience SMUSH Gallery’s high energy group show featuring more than a dozen visual and text based artists from Jersey City, New York, and beyond. All work priced at sixty dollars max.
Artists: Natalie Braginsky // Willa Brown // Kyle Canyon // Arianna Dunmire // Marcus Everson // Muriel Favaro // Luz Guzman // Olivia Junell // Danielle Koblinski // Kerry Kolenut // Johnnie Ray Kornegay III // Ryan McGhee // William Patterson // Myssi Robinson // Aliah Rosenthal // Vince Ruvolo // Haiku Tsunami
Blanc & Bonk
by stb x at
Fri 6.8 | 8p
$15 | $10 artist/student | Tickets
'Blanc & Bonk' is a suite of catchy tunes and memorable dances performed by stb x at. Featuring socially and historically important compositions and choreography, the curated medley chronicles dance-and-music collaborations through the ages... shown slightly off-kilter. Extracting moments from classical ballets to modern-day music videos, stb x at has reduced entire orchestrations to a solo vibraphone and transposed prima ballerina gestures onto a dragged-up try-hard.
stb x at is Sean Thomas Boyt and Dr. Andy Thierauf.
Castle
by award-winning international choreographer Rachel Erdos
performed by Yoav Grinberg and Yahli Elimelech
Wed 5.23 | 8p
$15 | $10 artist/student | Tickets
Created in response to current global living conditions and political situations, 'Castle' is an intimate duet in which the dancers are trapped in an 8 foot x 8 foot square. Neon-colored lights demarcate the territory they inhabit.
Performance duration: 30 mins followed by Q&A reception with choreographer Rachel Erdos and the performers.
This program was partially supported by the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artist Program and the Israeli Embassy.
I Ran in Jersey City - A Celebration of the Democratic Process
hosted by The New JSQ Community Association
Tues 5.22 | 7-9:30p
Free!
Hear a discussion about running for office in Jersey City from the candidates themselves. Our panel will be made up of a group of candidates who ran in 2017 but lost. The conversation will be candid, non-partisan, and focused on the day-to-day realities of being a candidate. The event will also be an opportunity to say "Thanks" to those who threw their hat into the ring and an opportunity to educate the next generation of voters, volunteers, and candidates. This is a free educational event for anyone interested in running for office and for those who want to learn more about our democratic process. Light refreshments will be served.
Marmalakes + Friends
Live Music Out of Austin, Texas
Sat 5.19 | 2-6p
$10 at the door
Celebrate SMUSH's first live music event! Sets by Marmalakes, Taft, Matt Puckett, Marcus Brown, and Ofer Shoval.
The "Art" of Translation Workshop
with Charly Santagado of mignolo dance
Sun 5.6 | 5:30-7p
$10 general, $5 student
Translating across languages and boundaries is more important than ever, but how can we (and why should we) translate across artistic mediums? Join us as we explore how the arts relate and collaborate to make "artistic translations." All mediums welcome!
The Flower Show
May 3 - 19
Opening Reception, Thursday 5.3, 6-10p
Artist Talk Saturday 5.12, 4-6p
Closing reception, Saturday 5.19, 7-10p
Gallery Hours:
Thursday 5.10, 6-9p
Saturday 5.12, 6-9p (following artist talk)
After the harsh winds, snows, and gray skies of the previous season, join us as we take in the color and form of luscious spring blooms. Come follow the Spring, beautifully presented by the diverse work of the artists showcased in this exhibit: Beth Lucas, Deirdre Kennedy, Shilpa Gowda, and Marlene Sandekamp, curated by Maria Ross.
Making Dances: a kamrDANCE Workshop Fusing Body Rhythms + Modern Movement
Sun 4.29 | 2-3:30p
$10 suggested, $5 student
RSVP to reserve your spot then pay at the door
Share on FB
DRIGGProductions Community Dance Class
led by Co-Artistic Director Khadija Ahmaddiya
Sun 4.29 | 11:30a-1:00p
$7 at the door
Open to all levels (beginner to professional). Focus & Intention on body awareness, alignment, stretch & mindful physical practice. Fun phrase work and explorative approach!
Slyce of Lyfe III: Poetry Reading + Open Mic
Sat 4.27 | Doors + Sign Up 7p, Reading 7.30p
$5, online or at the door
Open mic slots are 3 minutes each, first come, first served. Presented with Marcus Emel Brand, LLC. Come through!
SMUSH Moves, Vol 2
Sat 4.14 | Doors 7.40p, Show 8p
$10 suggested
Join us for up-close-and-personal dance and performance from Jersey City and beyond, with work from Parijat Desai, kamrDANCE, Meagan Woods & Co., Myssi Robinson, mignolo, Sebastian Abarbanell, Olivia Greco, and Ross Daniel.
Slyce of Lyfe II: Poetry Reading + Open Mic
Tues 3.27 | Doors + Sign Up 7p, Reading 7.30p
Tix $5, online or at the door
Early Bird RSVP (FREE!) through 3.20
Featuring
Emily Chammah, writer and an assistant editor at American Short Fiction, and winner of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers // Grisha Levine-Rozenvayn, Soviet-American poet and storyteller and managing editor of the New School's 12th Street journal
Open mic slots are 3 minutes each, first come, first served. Presented with Marcus Emel Brand, LLC. Come through!
Art + Community Mixer
Thur 3.22 | 6.30-9.00p
Tix $5-20
Sliding scale, available online and at the door
Meet your next collaborator, spread the word about your latest project, and find new ways to get involved in your community. Enjoy light refreshments, homegrown art, and jump into a collaborative art project. Don't forget - bring your friends!
Artists wishing to sell work or give a short performance - please email Katelyn at hello@smushgallery.com.
SMUSH Moves
Fri. 3/2/18
Doors 7.40p, Performance 8p
Free / Pay What You Wish
Join SMUSH Gallery for an up close and personal evening of dance and performance. Artists from Jersey City and beyond share their work at one of Jersey City’s newest art spaces. Seating is limited - arrive early!
Presented as part of Art House Productions' JC Fridays
Slyce of Lyfe: Poetry Reading + Open Mic
Tue. 2/27/18
Doors + Sign Up 7p, Reading 7.30p
$5 // Free w RSVP
Featuring Maria Bonacci, Paris Crayton III, Aliah Rosenthal, Sergio G. Satelite. Open mic slots are 3 minutes each, first come, first served. Presented with Marcus Emel Brand, LLC. Come through!