Exploring Perspective, Identity, and Ancestral Memory with separate exhibits by artists FUGAZI and Rashad Malik Davis
Trenton, NJ, — Artworks Trenton presents two exhibitions currently on view that examine how perspective, identity, and history shape personal and collective understanding through contemporary visual art. "We are excited to host these two amazing exhibitions by two local artists. Both of these moving exhibitions are a great way for Artworks to kick-off the new exhibition year.", stated Addison Vincent, Creative Director for Artworks Trenton.
In the Main Gallery, FUGAZI, a self-titled multidisciplinary exhibition by Trenton-based artist FUGAZI, explores perspective as the foundation of human experience. Rooted in moral relativism, the work reflects on how truth is shaped by culture, time, and personal identity. Centering the relationship between the observer and the observed, the exhibition invites viewers to consider how meaning shifts depending on who is looking and from where. Through introspective works that encourage dialogue and reflection, FUGAZI suggests that while realities may differ, shared meaning can emerge between perspectives.
In the Community Gallery, Celestial Bodies by Rashad Malik Davis is a reclamation of Black and Queer identity grounded in ancestral knowledge and spiritual history. Drawing from his academic background in anthropology, Davis examines Queerness as an ancient and sacred presence within many indigenous African cultures, one later disrupted by colonial erasure. The exhibition features acrylic paintings portraying real-life figures and deities alongside hand-cut wooden masks, honoring histories of reverence, power, and cosmic balance. Celestial Bodies invites viewers to reconnect with narratives of wholeness and to witness Queerness as sacred, celebrated, and enduring.