Project for Empty Space

"A Feeling of Itself" is a three-part exhibition presented in collaboration with Lives in Translation (LiT) and the Design Consortium at Rutgers University-Newark, led by designers Chantal Fischzang and Gisela Ochoa. The three-part program will unfold across multiple sites in Newark from March through June 2026.

"A Feeling of Itself" explores the richness and complexity of living between languages. Rooted in the concept of arraigo—a sense of belonging shaped through one’s roots—the exhibition layers bilingual interviews, photography, typography, and data visualization to illuminate how translation becomes a powerful form of cultural connection. At a time when multilingual identity and migrant/immigrant communities face increasing scrutiny and political attack, this exhibition asserts language diversity as a source of power, dignity, and collective memory. "A Feeling of Itself" celebrates multilingualism not as a barrier, but as a creative and civic strength that defines Newark’s past, present, and future.

The three-part program will commence in March 2026, with the A Feeling of Itself Window Installation at 19 Williams Street in Newark, presented in partnership with Teachers Village and RBH Group. The second phase, on view March 24 through June 1, 2026, expands into a full exhibition at Project for Empty Space, 800 Broad Street, Newark, and will open with a reception on April 2 from 6–8 pm. The project culminates in a site-specific lighting installation across the exterior façade on Edison Place, transforming the building itself into a beacon connecting language and light.