(New York, NY) In Presence, We Persist brings together 18 women artists affiliated with The Garage Art Center for a group exhibition introducing their work to a New Jersey audience. Presented at Space G within Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, the exhibition marks the third chapter in a Women’s History Month series previously presented at the Queens College Art Center and the Steinberg Museum of Art on Long Island. With this new presentation, the project expands its reach while continuing its evolving dialogue across institutions and communities.
Presented in March, a time dedicated to recognizing women’s history and contributions, the exhibition reflects quietly yet resolutely on what it means to remain present and to continue forward within a world shaped by shifting cultural conditions, material pressures, and competitive structures.
Life in the arts is rarely easy. For many women artists who also navigate roles as educators, professionals, caregivers, and cultural organizers, the act of continuing itself becomes a meaningful achievement. In Presence, We Persist acknowledges this shared reality. The artists gathered here do not stand alone; they stand together—as colleagues, collaborators, and friends—supporting and encouraging one another as they sustain their creative practices.
The exhibition foregrounds presence not only as physical attendance, but as an ethical and emotional commitment: to one’s artistic voice, to mutual support, and to the broader cultural community. Working across diverse media and visual languages, the participating artists explore themes of endurance, reflection, care, and collective strength. The works demonstrate that persistence is rarely solitary; it is sustained through networks of dialogue, solidarity, and shared belief in the value of creative expression.
In this sense, In Presence, We Persist becomes more than a presentation of artworks. It emerges as a living ecosystem formed through art—an informal yet powerful social structure where artists uplift one another and create space for continued growth.
It is especially meaningful that artists connected through The Garage Art Center, a Queens-based nonprofit exhibition space dedicated to artist-centered programming, gather again in a new context at Mana Contemporary. Following earlier chapters at Queens College Art Center and the Steinberg Museum of Art, this presentation represents a moment of expansion—extending an artist-driven and community-focused vision beyond geographic boundaries while opening new dialogues between spaces, artists, and audiences.
In Presence, We Persist is both a celebration and a declaration:
we are still here,
still creating,
still supporting one another—
and we continue.
Exhibition Dates
March 15 – 29, 2026
Opening Reception
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 3 – 5 PM
Curated by
The Garage Art Center
Artists
Ami Park, Amy Supton, Ann Cofta, Denise Sfraga, Dong Hee Lee, Eunju Kang, Hyo Jeong Nam, Jackie Shatz, Karen Fitzgerald, Katy Martin, Mary Pinto, Mary Tooley Parker, Michal Shapiro, Natali Barvo-Barbee, Natalie Giugni , Stephanie S. Lee, Sueim Koo, Tina Seligman
Venue
Space G at Mana Contemporary
888 Newark Ave. #223, Jersey City, NJ 07306
About The Garage Art Center
The Garage Art Center is a nonprofit arts space based in Bayside, Queens, New York. Guided by an artist-centered philosophy, the organization supports artists’ voices and fosters meaningful cultural connections with the community through exhibitions, workshops, and public programs.
(text & photo courtesy of The Garage Art Center)
