New Murals In Newark Celebrate Women, Activism, Community Resilience

NEWARK, NJ — Two public murals created by interdisciplinary artist Helina Metaferia were recently unveiled in New Jersey’s largest city.

Newark city officials held celebratory events at both locations on Nov. 17, beginning at 35 Halsey Street and continuing to Edison Place.

The murals were created in collaboration with Project for Empty Space, which served as both facilitator and host site supporting the project’s community engagement and production, and Edison Properties, which provided a second host location.

The artworks draw from Metaferia’s ongoing series “By Way of Revolution,” and celebrate Newark’s rich legacy of activism, while uplifting contemporary voices that are currently shaping the city.

“These murals were made at a time when we need to see representation of Black and Brown women uplifted – bolder, louder, and fiercer than ever before,” Metaferia said.

“Community building and public artwork do that work, at a scale that demonstrates an investment in our legacies,” Metaferia added.

The city’s press office released the following background about the new murals:

WORKSHOP – Metaferia led a Newark-based workshop for women-identifying BIPOC participants that centered on resilience, protest histories, and strategies for self and community care. From this gathering, Newark-born cousins Nashel Brantley and Karla Cruz were chosen as the focal figures for the murals. Their portraits, taken by Newark-based photographer Malaika A. Muindi, are interwoven with archival materials from the city’s activist history, linking past and present movements for justice and representation.

ARCHIVE – Metaferia’s creative process was deeply informed by the Newark Public Library’s extensive archival collections, which document local and national activist movements across generations. Protest imagery incorporated into the murals includes 1960s–70s Black Panther and Young Lords photographs, materials from The Star-Ledger, the National Council on Negro Women, and other African American, Puerto Rican, and Hispanic organizations, reflecting the mural subjects’ diverse heritage.

BUTTONS – Buttons from the Library’s Hilda A. Hidalgo protest button collection adorn the mural figures, alongside new buttons designed through community input on what a modern revolution looks and feels like.

FAMILY – Personal and familial imagery plays a key role: family photographs from Nashel and Karla appear throughout both murals, including a recurring baby photo of the cousins. Their grandmothers’ portraits form the figures’ eyes, while cultural symbols—such as a Salvadoran flag—honor their multicultural lineage. A complete bibliography of archival materials is embedded within each mural, underscoring Newark’s ongoing story of resilience, representation, and pride.

Support for the workshop and public artworks comes from the City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Newark Creative Catalyst, the Newark Artist Accelerator, Edison Properties, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Project collaborators include Adam Reich (photography), Bianca Pereira (graphic design), Malaika A. Muindi (photography), Melanie Wu (research), and Wesley Sanders (printing). Installation support was provided by Mark Hartmann, Diego Molina, and Paint & Design.

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