Newark’s 2017 Open Doors Arts Festival Will Include Exhibit From Local Mom, Sons

The following news release comes courtesy of the Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival. Send local news releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

NEWARK, NJ -- The 16th annual Open Doors Citywide Arts Festival, "Newark’s signature celebration of the arts," will take place from October 12 to 15. Over four days, Newark’s bustling arts scene will explode with an array of exhibits, screenings, workshops, artist talks, performances, readings and open houses.

This year’s celebration will feature hundreds of international artists. A variety of venues will join forces to showcase visual, performing and literary art under the "Open Doors" umbrella, as Newark celebrates its diverse contribution to the arts and the American fabric.

This year’s celebration will also include the first of its kind exhibition dubbed “3 The Art Way,” encompassing a special trio that includes the works of a mother, Yvonne Onque, and her two sons, Samad Onque and Suliman Onque. The family are all natives of Newark and were born into a well-known artistic family. Yvonne Onque, is an artist and graduate of Arts High School, as was their uncle, the late Bryon Onque, who was a singer, musician and composer who performed for Pope Paul VI in Rome in 1982 under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.

Both Sulman and Samad are also graduates of Arts High School and have been drawing since a very early age. They both participated in a variety of art and poster contests throughout their elementary and high school years and have garnered multiple accolades, awards and scholarships for their art. During the exhibition, Three the Art Way will offer a range of works through various mediums, including original gallery artwork, comic book illustrations, and wearable art, meshed with live painting, live music, spoken word, and socialization of artists.

The group’s artwork reflects the renderings of the African-American experience and incorporates "hidden messages behind each work of art," organizers said.

“As a native Newarker, I recognize that it is a blessing to be a part of Newark Open Doors and the bustling art scene in Newark as a whole," said one of the featured artists, Suliman Onque. "I am proud to be able to pay-it forward by partnering with (and raising awareness for) other local artists by helping to bring together up-and-coming artists from the area who do not have either the time or a large enough body of work to have their own gallery."

The trio will host an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Mocha Lounge in Newark. The vision of the featured artists is to create, connect and expand upon the local art scene by blazing trails for other artists from Newark.

For more information about the upcoming exhibition, contact Yusef Ismail at yusef163@yahoo.com.