Art in the Atrium Opens 33rd Annual Exhibit in Morris County

Art Show Reception Anchors Juneteenth Celebrations

More than 75 Black and Afro-Latino artists are being showcased in the 33rd annual Art in the Atrium (ATA) exhibit, “Another Slice of Sweet Potato Pie,” which officially opened tonight with a public reception at the Morris County Administration and Records Building.

The exhibit is a signature event of the Juneteenth Arts Celebration, a three-day series organized in partnership with ATA, the Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), Morris Arts and Morris Museum.

“Morris County is proud to host this exhibit each year right here in the Administration and Records Building, and we are equally proud to recognize Juneteenth as a county holiday, marking the end of slavery and the promise of freedom for all Americans,” said Morris County Commissioner John Krickus, who delivered remarks at the June 19 reception on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners.

“We’re also proud to support initiatives that expand education opportunities for African American students and others through the Morristown and Dover College Promise programs, as well as career-focused programs for Morris County Vocational School District (MCVSD) students at the newly opened Morris County Career Training Center at the County College of Morris (CCM),” Krickus added.

To help promote the initiatives, Morris County launched the Morris Ambassador Program in December 2023, a Board of Commissioners-appointed committee that collaborates with CCM and MCVSD to raise awareness of programs such as College Promise. The Morris County Ambassadors include Rev. David A. Hollowell, Sr., Vanessa Brown of the NAACP, Henry J. Lee, Rev. Herman Scott, Roberta Strater and Leslie Folmar Harris.

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“This work is not just about what’s on the walls; it’s about expanding the narrative of who gets to be seen, valued and remembered in our cultural institutions. It’s an honor to build on the Juneteenth Arts Celebration each year and expand the work and impact of so many talented artists ATA represents,” said Simone Craig, CEO of Art in the Atrium, Inc.

ATA was founded in 1991 by Craig’s parents, Charles and Viki Craig. Viki, who passed away in 2018, is memorialized with a plaque on the fifth floor of the atrium. Simone Craig now leads the organization, continuing its mission to elevate Black artists and enrich the cultural landscape of New Jersey.

This year’s exhibit was curated by Onnie Strother and features the work of the late Russell Murray, an original ATA curator and founding member of the Newark Art Colony in the 1970s. Murray, who died in 2009, was a pioneering figure who worked to bring Black art into public spaces alongside artists like Nette Forné Thomas and Bisa Washington.

“Russell was so uniquely talented, so different. His work is exciting and meaningful, and we wanted to pay homage to him. Sweet potato pie invokes images of the Black community because sweet potato pie is a staple at big family gatherings of African Americans. But it also reminiscent of Langston Hughes’s anthology ‘The Sweet Flypaper of Life,’” said Strother.

Murray’s portrait and namesake painting, “Another Slice of Sweet Potato Pie,” greet visitors at the entrance of the fifth-floor gallery. His work joins a striking display of paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media that spans four floors of the building at 10 Court Street in Morristown. The exhibit is open to the public weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 7 p.m. through Sept. 19.

The Juneteenth Arts Celebration began June 18 with an outdoor concert at the Vail Mansion Lawn featuring award-winning vocalist Lynette Sheard. The celebration will continue tomorrow, June 20, at Morris Museum with curator-led tours, art exhibitions, family activities and a screening of a short documentary on New Jersey artist Danielle Scott.

Juneteenth, observed each year on June 19, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. Though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the news of the proclamation did not reach the last enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas until June 19, 1865. Today, the holiday honors the freedom, resilience and culture of the Black Americans.

About Art in the Atrium, Inc.

Founded in 1991 by Charles and Viki Craig, Art in the Atrium, Inc. (ATA) is New Jersey’s largest exhibitor of African American fine art. A Black-led, critically acclaimed nonprofit, ATA supports Black artists through exhibitions, educational programming, and professional development. The organization also offers youth outreach through its ATA STEAM Academy and scholarships for Black arts students.

For more information, visit artintheatrium.org.