A new art exhibition in the Denison Art Space in Newark is an intriguing mixture of both the familiar and the obscure. Artist Jonathan Vega moved to the area a year ago and has been documenting his journey of personal change as well as the changes that are occurring around him in his new home. The result is a montage of images of local places, currently undergoing transition. The exhibition “Familiar Streets” opens with a public reception on Friday, Aug. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Denison Art Space in Newark, 23 West Church Street. The exhibit runs through Wednesday, Sept. 13. Art Space hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by appointment. Call 740-587-6325 for information or email Jonathan Vega.
“It became important for me to take these photographs to understand my surroundings, and to capture this moment in Newark. The inspiration of the show’s title, ‘Familiar Streets,’ comes from the familiarity that I have with constant change and relocation, as well as the connection I hope the community grasps to the areas shown,” said Vega, a 2015 Denison University graduate who moved the area in 2016 as the director of the new Denison Art Space in Newark gallery.
“The photographs are dear to me because they capture a moment of reflection, and search for belonging and understanding in a new environment, as well as simultaneously preserving a part of history in Newark,” Vega added. “Although the photographs have a certain meaning to me, I understand that they will carry a different meaning across viewers. Many of the photographs in the show capture the critical moments of my time here, such as the transition of the art space, highlighting the ephemerality of space, place, and time.”
Denison Art Space in Newark (DASiN) is a large, open, multi-use venue that highlights local artists as well as artists from all around the world. The space provides free events such as exhibitions, artist talks, hands-on workshops and much more. Denison’s goals for the space are to bring together individuals from all generations, disciplines, communities and backgrounds to stimulate learning about, from, and with one another. It is a gateway to the arts and connects each of us to one another by providing a collaborative environment centered on culture, arts and creative expression.
The Denison Art Space in Newark is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
