On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Mana Contemporary in Jersey City will hold a public tour as part of its Future Art Leaders Program. The program is designed for high school students in the Jersey City Public Schools JC Arts program. It helps students explore career paths in the arts through real experiences inside galleries, museums, and artist studios. The tour will take place at 888 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, and includes access to several exhibitions within the facility.
This program is supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund. It is also made possible with help from Jersey City’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Jersey City Arts Council.
To attend the tour, visitors must RSVP by emailing [email protected].
- The Future Art Leaders Tour at Mana Contemporary will take place on April 16, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Jersey City.
- JC Arts High School students will present their work and share what they’ve learned through real-world experience in studios, galleries, and with art professionals.
- The event is free and open to the public with RSVP and is supported by the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund.
Learning Through Real Art Experiences
Instead of working only in classrooms, students in the Future Art Leaders Program learn directly from professionals in the arts. They meet curators, artists, and gallery staff who teach them how an art center works. These students receive feedback and guidance to help them build leadership skills and prepare for future jobs in the creative field.
The event on April 16, 2025, will give the public a chance to see the results of the program. During the tour, students will share their experiences and lead visitors through parts of the Mana Contemporary facility. The visit runs from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, giving people time to explore the studios and see how the students have been involved.
Mana Contemporary is located inside a large building that was once a tobacco warehouse–a space that now includes working artist studios, gallery spaces, and areas for public events. Students in the program gain access to these professional spaces, which helps them learn how to plan and present real art projects.
Exhibits and Artist Residencies Open During the Tour
Alongside the Future Art Leaders Tour, several exhibitions and artist programs will be available to visitors. These include works by current artists-in-residence and solo shows curated by Mana Contemporary staff.
One of these is the WORTHLESSSTUDIOS Photographer in Residence program, which runs from April 9 to May 6, 2025. Mana is currently hosting Sebastian Ferruzo, a photographer based in Jersey City. Ferruzo is self-taught and works on long-term photo projects. His style mixes portraits, landscapes, and still life images in what is known as the “lyric documentary” style.
Ferruzo’s work is based in a mobile darkroom built into a silver Airstream trailer. Since 2019, WORTHLESSSTUDIOS has used this trailer to give artists across the U.S. access to darkroom tools.
Chuck Kelton’s Exhibit “Transformations” Runs Through June
Visitors attending the Future Art Leaders Tour will also be able to see current exhibitions at Mana Contemporary. One of them is Chuck Kelton’s “Transformations,” which runs from October 20, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
Kelton uses photochemistry—materials like developer and fixer—to make images called Chemograms. These are made without using a camera, and the final pieces look like abstract landscapes. He compares this method to alchemy, the old practice of turning metals into gold. Kelton’s goal is to turn chemicals into art.
For this show, he also added African tribal masks from his personal collection. These masks were used in rituals for celebration, mourning, and performance. People once believed the masks allowed the wearer to become another being. Thus, Kelton places the masks next to his Chemograms to show connections between the ancient and the modern, between transformation in art and transformation in spirit.
The result is an exhibition where two different types of objects talk to each other visually. Viewers can compare shape, texture, and emotion between the masks and the prints. Kelton’s show invites people to think about how old traditions continue to influence new creative ideas.
Cheryl Gross Explores Myth and Technology in “The Z Factor”
Another exhibition now open at Mana is “The Z Factor: The Hybrid Realms of Cheryl Gross,” which runs from March 5 to June 30, 2025. This shows how myth and storytelling help people understand modern life, especially during times of change.
Gross looks at how technology and biology interact in today’s world. Her art asks if old myths can still help people find meaning and direction. She questions how these stories work in a world where machines and nature are blending more than ever before.
The exhibition was curated by Kristin DeAngelis, Senior Director of Strategies and Operations at Mana, and designed by Kele McComsey, Mana’s Director. Gross uses visual storytelling to connect personal stories with larger ideas about culture, identity, and change. The exhibit also fits well with the educational goals of the Future Art Leaders Program, giving students a chance to see how complex ideas can be shown through art.
