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United Parks as One presents

NAT TURNER PARK
ART INSTALLATION

A colorful depiction of the evolution of African-American music

Nat Turner Park Overview

Originally, in the 1970s, a group of activists demanded the creation of more green space in the Central Ward of Newark, New Jersey. As a result, they eventually succeeded in getting a long-unused site developed as a nine-acre park that would be named for Nat Turner to commemorate his fight for freedom for enslaved Africans in the United States. 

Community Partnership and Artistic Vision

A strong, committed partnership of community members, city agencies, local schools, and The Trust for Public Land participated in a sustained engagement process to design the park. Through interactive sessions, the community determined that art would be a key feature of the park. As a result, participants identified the evolution of African and African-American music as the theme of the art.

Music, Art & Cultural Expression

Colorful steel sculptures welcome visitors at each of the five entrances to Nat Turner Park, serving as visual markers for the major musical genres that chronicle the African-American experience. In addition, a vibrant tile mosaic at the park’s amphitheater reflects the overall theme. For example, it incorporates musical instruments, the names of musicians, and references to Newark’s musical history.

This narrated video tour of the installation traces the evolution of the musical genres depicted and explores the features of the sculptures and mosaic.

Entrance to Nat Turner Park in Newark featuring colorful steel art panels, walking path, and community event tents in the distance.

Jerry Gant

Jerry Gant (b. 1961–d. 2018) created the sculptures that adorn the entrances to Nat Turner Park. Throughout his career, his creative impulse reflected an enduring genre-defiance that shattered categories and resisted the limits of classification.

Jerry's Legacy

As an interdisciplinary visual artist, writer, educator, activist, cultural historian, and theorist, Jerry Gant shaped Newark’s arts and culture scene for more than 35 years. Moreover, as a Newark native, he connected the literary, performing, and visual arts through his extensive achievements.

 

Learn more about Jerry Gant
Artist Jerry Gant holding a printed sketch while standing beside a metal sculpture prototype in a workshop setting.
Katherine Hackl smiling in her ceramics studio, holding a hand-painted tile mug and brush, mosaic artist behind Nat Turner Park amphitheater installation

Katherine Hackl

In addition, Katherine Hackl designed the tile mosaic at the Nat Turner Park amphitheater. The installation includes more than 150 tiles created by community members through workshops she held in schools and community centers near the park.

Katherine's Work

Hackl specializes in custom handmade decorative tile work for both public and private commissions. In her work, she draws on the Arts and Crafts traditions of tile making. As a result, the mosaic reflects both skilled craftsmanship and strong community involvement.

See Katherine's work here

Artistic Themes and Symbolism

  • Art in Motion: Symbolism Woven into Sculptural Form

    First, Jerry Gant’s pieces integrate intricate figures and imagery within sculptural frameworks.

  • Where Art Meets Infrastructure: Sculptural Solutions to Urban Design

    In turn, their placement introduces viewers to the idea of art as architecture, while also providing decorative alternatives to traditional fencing and barriers.

  • The Power of Pairs: Duality in Design

    Additionally, doubling is prevalent in Gant’s creations, as the pieces at several of the entrances feature two elements, or two parts.

  • Community Frequencies: A Vibrant Dialogue in Tile

    Finally, the amphitheater installation incorporates alternating rows of blue mosaic tiles designed by community members and yellow tiles that represent wavelengths.

Green metal sphinx sculptures and African drums at the entrance to Nat Turner Park on Muhammad Ali Avenue in Newark, NJ.
Steel cut-out model of a crouching sphinx figure by artist Jerry Gant, displayed on a textured surface.

Art Installation Gallery

Below, the art installation gallery highlights details, textures, and views of the finished work.
Two round mosaic tiles featuring a choir singer and musical terms, set in a blue tile background at Nat Turner Park

Here, two round tiles show a choir singer and several musical terms in a crossword pattern

Round mosaic tile of a jazz musician playing trumpet, surrounded by blue and red tiles at Nat Turner Park in Newark, NJ

Similarly, this round tile shows a jazz trumpet player.

Colorful tile artwork decorating the steps of the amphitheater at Nat Turner Park in Newark, NJ

Meanwhile, the amphitheater features a tile installation that expands the overall artistic theme.

Yellow steel sculptures representing R&B and Soul music flank the park entrance, with a sports field visible in the background at Nat Turner Park in Newark, NJ.

At the side entrance on 18th Avenue, two yellow steel sculptures depict the Rhythm & Blues musical form.

Green metal sphinx sculptures and African drums at the entrance to Nat Turner Park on Muhammad Ali Avenue in Newark, NJ.

At the main entrance on Muhammad Ali Avenue, two large green steel sphinx figures stand back-to-back and are flanked by African drums on both sides.

Steel cut-out model of a crouching sphinx figure by artist Jerry Gant, displayed on a textured surface.

In addition, this model shows one of the sphinx figures featured at the main entrance on Muhammad Ali Avenue.

Abstract black-and-white drawing by Jerry Gant featuring expressive figures symbolizing Rhythm & Blues culture.

Additionally, this image shows Jerry Gant’s original artwork for one of the complex sculptures depicting the Rhythm & Blues musical form.

Full black and white concept design by Jerry Gant featuring Bebop musicians and a stylized trumpet spelling “Be Bop.”

Likewise, this image features Jerry Gant’s original artwork for the sculpture of Bebop musicians.

Black and white illustration of Bebop musicians including a pianist, trumpet player, and singer, created by artist Jerry Gant.

Elsewhere in the collection, another image shows Jerry Gant’s original artwork for the sculpture of Bebop musicians.

Two blue steel sculptures of a male Blues musician and a female Gospel singer, positioned near the side entrance of Nat Turner Park on Muhammad Ali Avenue.

At a side entrance on Muhammad Ali Avenue, two blue steel sculptures represent a male Blues musician and a female Gospel singer.

Green steel sculpture of an African drum representing the origins of African-American music, located at the entrance of Nat Turner Park on Muhammad Ali Avenue.

At the main entrance on Muhammad Ali Avenue, a green steel sculpture of an African drum represents the origins of African-American music.

Decorative orange gate panels with jazz-themed silhouettes at the entrance of Nat Turner Park in Newark, NJ, under a clear blue sky.

Finally, at the main entrance on 18th Avenue, two large red steel sculptures represent the intertwined musical forms of Bebop, Jazz, and Swing.

Community Reflections

Celebrating collaborative art that reflects the voices, history, and spirit of Newark’s neighborhoods.

"When we would be talking about the park, he would always remind himself and me that this is history, this is making history… Just him being so aware of that to me is, I guess that would have to be my favorite overall feeling about Jerry. There was an expression… where people sometimes feel the need to play small. You feel the need to maybe not appear too boastful, and he didn't care about that. And so, he wanted to make sure, through the course of doing something this significant, that it was clear how significant that was."

Linda Street

Pink Dragon Artist Syndicate

“One of the things that we wanted to do was talk about Newark's connection to music and its music history there… They remembered old jazz clubs. They remembered old record labels. They remembered old recording studios. And a lot of people focused on some of that, and they had a great memory session talking some of that through, which was fun.”

Katherine Hackl

Katherine Hackl Pottery and Tiles

“You'll notice there's a lot of different tiles in [the amphitheater] and all those tiles, the mosaic tiles, represent different people, different [generations] from all around this area… As people grow and they move and they leave and even some folks die, those components are still a part of the park that we can come back to."

Donna Kirkland

Senior Director of Community Engagement Trust for Public Land, New Jersey Office

"The first thing that really struck me was how concerned the young people, particularly the younger children, were with the park…Those moments when the students began realizing that their ideas mattered… Some of them are now adults with children who may now be ready to bring their children over to the park. And I would hope some of them then would actually look and be able to tell their children, ‘When I was in fourth grade or fifth grade, we were helping to plan this park.’ Maybe, even go and find their mosaic and say, ‘See that? I made that one.'"

Dr. Ray Lindgren

Former Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Newark Public Schools

"I wonder what children from the neighborhood see as they walk to school as they pass [Jerry Gant’s] art. I know as a kid I would see graffiti and be amazed by it. The art intrigued me enough to make me want to do it. I believe it was Mos Def that said, ‘Good art will make U want to create it yourself.’"

Kortez

Visual Artist and DJ