PES FUTURES

Next Tuesday, May 19, join us from 7:30-8:30 for cocktails and conversation with artist David Antonio Cruz on the occasion of his exhibition black/backroom at PES Futures! Cruz will be joined by PES Co-Directors Jasmine Wahi & Rebecca Pauline Jampol to discuss the exhibition, which continues his unveiling of Queer-Brown-Histories, reflecting on how his work shapes potentialities through intersecting themes of loss, desire, and legacy. Their discussion will contend with how the landscape of art for queer-Brown identities has shifted over the past decade, and in some ways devolved. Looking back at Cruz’s inaugural residency with Project for Empty Space and the coinciding exhibition in 2016, they will consider how Cruz’s practice has evolved while working in community with PES, to underscore how ‘black/backroom’ points toward an abundant future ✨. Head to the link in our (@pesfutures ) bio to RSVP! 🔗 Slides 3-4: Exhibition view of ‘black/backroom’ at PES FUTURES (128 Baxter, NYC) Slides 5-6: Exhibition view of ‘FOR I AM, OR I WAS. THERETURNOFTHEDIRTYBOYS’ at Project for Empty Space (2 Gateway Ctr, Newark, NJ)

David Antonio Cruz’s “black/backroom” at PES FUTURES features a small collage and three personal archive elements tucked throughout the space. Slide 1: Frank (1995)—a tender drawing honoring a past relationship. Cruz captures his partner at rest, turning vulnerability and intimacy into an archival act. Slide 2: Bésame Mucho (2026) —a collage intervening on an archival postcard (originally a man kissing a woman’s cheek). Cruz layers a male buttocks over the scene, playfully reorienting the image toward queer desire. Who gets to kiss whom? Slide 4: A 1965 vintage photo of Cruz’s grandfather, installed alongside an untitled 2020 drawing of a friend in a park—a friend lost to COVID-19. Together, they speak to ancestral legacy and sudden absence, linking personal grief to collective trauma. “black/backroom” considers future-making through loss, desire, and the legacy of Cruz’s grandparents’ land—Puerto Rico. The immersive exhibition envelops viewers in ghostly floral wallpaper (Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, NY), leading to a surprise resting spot, all crescendoing around chandeliers that hold intimate sculptural objects. Come take a closer look at 128 Baxter, on view until August 1, 2026! Link in bio for more.

We hope you’ll join us on May 19th 🗓️ from 7:30-8:30 for a special conversation with artist David Antonio Cruz on the occasion of his exhibition black/backroom at PES Futures! Cruz will be joined by PES Co-Directors Jasmine Wahi & Rebecca Pauline Jampol to discuss the exhibition, which continues his unveiling of Queer-Brown-Histories, reflecting on how his work shapes potentialities through intersecting themes of loss, desire, and legacy. Their discussion will contend with how the landscape of art for queer-Brown identities has shifted over the past decade, and in some ways devolved. Looking back at Cruz’s inaugural residency with Project for Empty Space and the coinciding exhibition in 2016, they will consider how Cruz’s practice has evolved while working in community with PES, to underscore how ‘black/backroom’ points toward an abundant future ✨. Head to the link in our (@pesfutures ) bio to RSVP! 🔗 Slides 3-4: Exhibition view of ‘black/backroom’ at PES FUTURES (128 Baxter, NYC) Slides 5-6: Exhibition view of ‘FOR I AM, OR I WAS. THERETURNOFTHEDIRTYBOYS’ at Project for Empty Space (2 Gateway Ctr, Newark, NJ)

We had a blast making charms with you all this past Saturday! It was wonderful to see folks lean into David Antonio Cruz’s Beautifully Maximalist way of making and take home a memento inspired by the exhibition.💎 ‘black/backroom’ is still on view through June 2026 and we hope you’ll make a visit to experience the immersive installation if you haven’t had had the chance to already. 🗓️ About the exhibition: David Antonio Cruz’s black/backroom considers future-making through the lens of both personal and collective historical precedence. As part of a continuation of Cruz’s unveiling of Queer-Brown-Histories, the artist shapes potentialities through intersecting themes of loss, desire, and the legacy of Cruz’s grandparents’ land—Puerto Rico. The immersive exhibition draws on various aspects of Cruz’s interdisciplinary practice in a beautifully maximalist manner. Viewers are enveloped in a detailed wallpaper that features ghostly layered flora from important geographies in the artist’s life—Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, and New York. These hidden histories and vignettes lead to a surprise element tucked in the back of the space, inviting viewers to rest and recline. The installation crescendos around a cacophony of chandeliers, a relatively new symbolic element in Cruz’s lexicon, reflecting abundance, decadence, and splendor. Embedded within the chandeliers are small sculptural objects that symbolize intimate narratives.

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 1 – 3 PM for ‘More is More’ ✨—a hands-on Chandelier Charm workshop 🕯️💎 inspired by David Antonio Cruz’s exhibition ‘black/backroom’ at PES FUTURES (128 Baxter St. NYC). This program is designed to engage younger audiences between the ages of 6 and 10 but is open to all ages and skill levels, so make sure to RSVP while there are still spots through the link in our bio! 🖌️ Participants will design and create their own wearable charms using craft wood, rhinestones, and other adornments, drawing from the visual language of the chandeliers featured in the installation. 💍🌟 💎 The chandeliers in Cruz’s work reflect abundance, decadence, and splendor. Hidden within them are small sculptural objects that hold intimate narratives. In this workshop, participants will embrace the philosophy that more is more—crafting their own small-scale charms that can be worn as necklaces 🧿, attached to keychains 🔑, or kept as personal talismans—each telling a story of their own. 📖

A glimpse at black/backroom through photographic documentation by Carlos Hernandez ( @carloshernandezstudios ).  About The Exhibition: David Antonio Cruz’s “black/backroom” at PES FUTURES considers future-making through the lens of both personal and collective historical precedence. As part of a continuation of Cruz’s unveiling of Queer-Brown-Histories, the artist shapes potentialities through intersecting themes of loss, desire, and the legacy of Cruz’s grandparents’ land- Puerto Rico.  The immersive exhibition draws on various aspects of Cruz’s interdisciplinary practice in a beautifully maximalist manner. Viewers are enveloped in a detailed wallpaper that features ghostly layered flora from important geographies in the artist’s life- Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, and New York. These hidden histories and vignettes lead to a surprise element tucked in the back of the space, inviting viewers to rest and recline. The installation crescendos around a cacophony of chandeliers, a relatively new symbolic element in Cruz’s lexicon, reflecting abundance, decadence, and splendor. Embedded within the chandeliers are small sculptural objects that symbolize intimate narratives.    “black/backroom” is on view at 128 Baxter until June 6, 2026. Head to our website through the link in our bio to learn more!

Kids and Families! Join us Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 1 – 3 PM for More is More ✨—a hands-on Chandelier Charm workshop 🕯️💎 inspired by David Antonio Cruz’s exhibition black/backroom at PES FUTURES (128 Baxter St. NYC). 🖌️ Participants will design and create their own wearable charms using craft wood, rhinestones, and other adornments, drawing from the visual language of the chandeliers featured in the installation. 💍🌟 💎 The chandeliers in Cruz’s work reflect abundance, decadence, and splendor. Hidden within them are small sculptural objects that hold intimate narratives. In this workshop, participants will embrace the philosophy that more is more—crafting their own small-scale charms that can be worn as necklaces 🧿, attached to keychains 🔑, or kept as personal talismans—each telling a story of their own. 📖 This program is designed to engage younger audiences between the ages of 6 and 10 but is open to all ages and skill levels. 🙌 Head to our LinkTree in the bio to learn more and RSVP!

What a night! 🖤✨ Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the opening of David Antonio Cruz’s black/backroom. The gallery was filled with so much joy and laughter—it was truly heartwarming to see the community come together to honor this incredible work. If you missed it, don’t worry, the exhibition is on view through June 6, 2026! Thank you to all our supporters and special thanks to @srifineartservices for their incredible exhibition installation support! About the exhibition: David Antonio Cruz’s ‘black/backroom’ crescendos around a cacophony of chandeliers, a relatively new symbolic element in Cruz’s lexicon, reflecting abundance, decadence, and splendor. Embedded within the chandeliers are small sculptural objects that symbolize intimate narratives. You can learn more about the installation and stay up to date on upcoming programs by heading to our website at !

David Antonio Cruz’s ‘black/backroom’ crescendos around a cacophony of chandeliers, a relatively new symbolic element in Cruz’s lexicon, reflecting abundance, decadence, and splendor. Embedded within the chandeliers are small sculptural objects that symbolize intimate narratives. We invite you to join us for the opening reception of the immersive exhibition on Tuesday March 17, 2026 from 6-8 PM to celebrate the momentous exhibition—a symbolic homecoming of sorts for the artist as Cruz was an inaugural PES Artist in Residence from 2015 - 2017. RSVP through the eventbrite link in our bio! #pesfutures #blackbackroom

🌱 As the snow begins to melt and we move into a season of spring weather and gathering, we’re excited to share that this month kicks off a series of new exhibitions, events, and programs at Project for Empty Space across our locations in Newark—including public programming at Newark Grounds—and in New York City. We’re also gearing up to complete an entirely new floor of affordable artist studios, furthering our commitment to creating sustainable space for artists to work in Downtown Newark (Available April 1)! Spring at PES is all about building together, and we can’t wait to welcome you into everything that’s ahead. ✨ Here’s what you can expect this month: ➡️ In Newark “A Feeling of Itself” multi-site program developed by Lives in Translation (@litrutgers ) and the Design Consortium at Rutgers University-Newark (@acm_gd ), led by designers Chantal Fischzang (@chantista ) and Gisela Ochoa (@gise.la.co ) Part 1: March 2026 | Window Intervention
📍 19 Williams Street, Newark, NJ
Presented in partnership with Teachers Village (@teachersvillage ) and RBH Group Part 2: March 24 – June 1, 2026 | Audio-Visual Exhibition
Exhibition Opening: April 2, 6 - 8 pm 
📍 800 Broad Street, Newark, NJ ➡️ In NYC “black/backroom” by David Antonio Cruz
Opening Reception: March 17, 6 - 8 pm 📍 128 Baxter Street, NYC (@pesfutures ) ➡️ Upcoming Events! 🗓️ March 5-7 Co-Director Jasmine Wahi (@browngirlcurator ) will join the inaugural Making Their Mark Forum, a first-of-its-kind international gathering celebrating women artists, advancing gender equity in the arts, and inspiring lasting change.  📍 Washington, DC Learn more: makingtheirmark.org/forum 🗓️ March 31 | 6–8 PM In partnership with SHINE Portrait Studio (@shine_portraitstudio ), we will celebrate the launch of “In Search of the Spirit House”, a new artbook by interdisciplinary artist Adama Delphine Fawundu (@adamadelphine ). 📍 54 Halsey St, Newark, NJ Learn more + RSVP: insearchofthespirithouse.eventbrite.com — 📲 Read and subscribe to our monthly newsletter via the 🔗 link in bio to learn more about the work we’re doing in Newark, NJ, Chinatown, NYC, and beyond ✨

✨ We are thrilled to present PES FUTURES’ next solo exhibition “black/backroom” by David Antonio Cruz, open to the public starting March 17, 2026, at 128 Baxter Street, NYC! ✨ Join us for a public reception on March 17th, from 6 - 8 pm. RSVP via link 🔗 in bio! 🇵🇷 David Antonio Cruz’s “black/backroom” at PES Futures considers future-making through the lens of both personal and collective historical precedence. As part of a continuation of Cruz’s unveiling of Queer-Brown-Histories, the artist shapes potentialities through intersecting themes of loss, desire, and the legacy of Cruz’s grandparents’ land- Puerto Rico. The immersive exhibition, which was created for the intimate Chinatown gallery, draws on various aspects of Cruz’s interdisciplinary practice in a beautifully maximalist manner. Viewers are enveloped in a detailed wallpaper that features ghostly layered images flora from important geographies in the artist’s life- Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, and New York. Learn more  📲 at pesfutures.org/blackbackroom ➡️ About the Artist: 
David Antonio Cruz received his BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute and his MFA from Yale University. He attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and completed the AIM Program at the Bronx Museum, New York. David Antonio Cruz lives and works in New York City. He is a Board Member at Project for Empty Space. Learn more about David Antonio Cruz at cruzantoniodavid.com.

February may be a short month, but we have lots to share here at Project for Empty Space! Alongside our ongoing programs, stay tuned for announcements about this year’s exhibitions, our next Artist in Residence cohort, and details on a public art celebration planned for late May. Consider this a small February love note to what’s ahead! 💌 Here’s what you can expect this month: ➡️ In Newark Our exhibitions are extended through February 28, 2026: “Fine Line” by AIR Jake Troyli @jake_troyli 📍 800 Broad St., Newark, NJ “La Voz del Anonimato / The Voice of Anonymity” by AIR Layqa Nuna Yawar @layqanunayawar 📍 110 Edison Pl., Newark, NJ ➡️ Upcoming Events! 🗓️ Monday, February 9 | 8:20 AM Co-Director Rebecca Pauline Jampol @rjampol joins “ARTS – Spaces, Culture & Catalyst” 3rd Annual Newark Summit for Real Estate, Economic Development & Placemaking 📍 550 Broad St., Newark, NJ Learn more + RSVP: thenewarksummit.com/2026/ 🗓️ Tuesday, February 24 | 6:30–8 PM American LGBT+ Museum @lgbtq_museum at PES presents: Lavender Literary Society: Whitney Strub x Marina Carreira 📍 800 Broad St., Newark, NJ Learn more + RSVP: http://bit.ly/jan2026bookclub 🗓️ Thursday, February 26 | 5–6:30 PM 2026 Professional Practice Live Workshop Series Assemble Your Creative Portfolio with Kandace Creel Falcón 📍 Virtual Register: http://bit.ly/springboardforthearts — Lastly, we are honored to be a Ruth Arts 2025–2027 Core Grant Recipient @ruthfoundationforthearts and deeply grateful for their support. Founded in 2022, The Ruth Foundation for the Arts (Ruth Arts) brings an inventive approach to philanthropy grounded in creativity, care, and experimentation, supporting organizations across the visual and performing arts. 📲 Read and subscribe to our monthly newsletter via the 🔗 link in bio to learn more about the work we’re doing in Newark, NJ, Chinatown, NYC, and beyond ✨