The Digest | New Jersey Magazine
Issue link: https://magazines.vuenj.com/i/764868
V isitors of Mana Contemporary are also invited to be part of its community. Here, the artistic process is as much on display as the finished product. Guests are encouraged to peek in on artists at work in their studios or mingle with them over cappuccinos in the fourth floor café. "Usually, the public only sees the end result, the finished artwork or performance. Here, they see the work that goes into the creative process," Lemay explained. The choice of Jersey City as the location was more a marriage of convenience, Lemay admitted. "You won't find a building of this scale available in Manhattan or Brooklyn, or even the Bronx," he said. Still, Lemay is excited about Jersey City's cultural revival, and Mana's role in it. Considering Mana's strong partnership with Jersey City and Hudson County at large, it's clear that even bigger things are on the horizon. Looking ahead, Lemay, Ricks and the team at Mana show no signs of slowing down. Satellite locations in Chicago and Miami are up and running, and the Jersey City campus will soon have a hotel, artist housing, a sculpture garden, additional dining options and a whole host of other events, exhibitions and partnerships. Ricks, echoing the philosophy of Mana, observed, "right now, anything feels possible." Tours of Mana Contemporary are offered at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. 888 Newark Ave, Jersey City. V U E N J . C O M 83 VUE ON THE ARTS