Bowery Art Collective (BAC), a 501(c)3 New Jersey non-profit, located in Metuchen, New Jersey, is a vital part of the Garden State’s burgeoning art scene. The Collective was born in the halls of a standardized test prep school where students would come from high school carrying art portfolios. The walls of the school became a showcase for many talented teens. BAC’s dream and mission has been for artists to forge their own way, build shows, find their own messages, and develop individual expression. Their popular past exhibitions since their inception have included Clash, Art of Jazz, and Home Soil.

The Collective’s upcoming exhibition, Open Archways: By the Light of the Same Moon, is a distinctive element of their mission. The show brings together fifteen Muslim and Jewish artists at a time when they are being asked to play different roles in the world. Open Archways was not created to fix or cure, but to unite young artists who want to speak through their art on matters of heritage, identity, faith, and culture. They are artists uniting to find new ways to talk about their pain, joy, and dreams and individuals who see friendship and artistic celebration as a pathway.

Khalid Khashoggi, Founder and Director of BAC stated, “From the beginning, all our shows came from the mind of an emerging artist. We have been lucky to work with curators who are just beginning their careers and have no expectations or jaded view of the gallery space. Our space has been an incubator for the ideas important to young artists. A lot of our job as stewards of this non-profit board is to listen.” Khashoggi also commented, “Young artists must be paid attention to. They are rewriting the future of the gallery. They will be rewriting the rules of the world. With this in mind, we were more than excited when two young artists, having just graduated from Mason Gross, agreed to undertake what Bowery Art sees as one of its most important exhibits to date.”

Arianna Astuni, the Executive Director of BAC explained, “We embraced this exhibit’s theme carefully, slowly, and thoughtfully. I listened in the gallery, on Zooms, in restaurants, and on long walks. We did not approach this exhibit lightly.”

When curators, Hannah Finklysten and Aakef Khan, came on board, they steadily and diligently built a community of artists who were very eager to participate in the mission of Open Archways. This was more than just picking art from submissions. It was ensuring that all the personalities were on the same page and were represented in the way that was most authentic to them. When the artists were chosen, the curators decided to begin unconventionally. Instead of having artists merely send in paintings and show up on the night of the show, the curators would make a series of meetings for the artists to get to know each other. What happened in the first meeting in Metuchen was a beautiful discussion about overlapping cultures and traditions. With artists of all ages, from many different backgrounds and countries, commonality was found. Themes were excitedly discussed, and the artists shared their visions and connections to their culture and religions.

We had a chance to discuss the show further with Khashoggi and Astuni. They pointed out that the time for the Open Archways exhibition is right now because the artists are bonded and ready to share the overlap of their traditions, hearts and cultures.  Artists who have heard about the show are reaching out to join and are eager to be a part of the collaborative journey. These artists are part of a demographic that seeks a healthy middle ground, a balance between modern life and tradition.

We know that our readers will want to know more about ten of the talented artists that are leading Open Archways:

Hannah Finkelshteyn (Curator)

Hannah Finkelshteyn is a mixed media artist and curator from East Brunswick, NJ. A Mason Gross BFA graduate, she creates ink-based, language-driven work exploring Jewish identity, repetition, and memory. She has curated community-centered exhibitions and has permanent work installed at the Eva and Hari Halpern Hillel House at Rutgers.

Aakef Khan (Curator)

Aakef Khan is a filmmaker and artist at Rutgers Mason Gross whose work explores belief, culture, and identity through personal narrative and social critique. Drawing on his Muslim American background and experience in stage and film production, he creates inclusive, justice-driven work and advocates for Jewish–Muslim dialogue within diaspora communities.

Sarah Maung

Sarah Maung is a Burmese Muslim multimedia and mural artist whose vibrant work centers on culture, community, and belonging. She has created public art with MoMA PS1, Malikah, and multiple New Jersey and national mural programs. Her murals transform public spaces by amplifying immigrant stories and celebrating identity through color, narrative, and collaboration.

Micah Steinerman

Micah Steinerman (He/They) is a queer Jewish artist studying Drawing and Animation at Rutgers. Working across painting, collage, sculpture, and stop-motion, Micah explores identity, spirituality, and everyday symbolism. Their work features recurring Jewish imagery, emphasizing collaboration, community, and storytelling through expressive visual worlds.

Gail Cohen (Argenis Apolinario Photography 2019)

Gal Cohen is a Tel Aviv–born, NYC-based visual artist working in painting, drawing, and mixed media. A graduate of Bezalel and Parsons, she has exhibited internationally, including at Spring/Break, The Bronx Museum, and Bric. Cohen is also a participant in multiple residencies, including Cornerstone Studios and the AIM fellowship.

Amee Pollack

Amee J. Pollack is a mixed media artist and educator with 30 years of experience. Formerly at Rutgers Mason Gross, she now teaches ceramics at Middlesex College. Her artists’ books are featured in major museum collections, and she serves on the Highland Park Arts Commission, helping to lead numerous public art initiatives.

Miki Belenkov

Miki Belenkov is a NYC-based mixed-media painter and fiber artist whose work examines identity, heritage, and observation. A first-generation queer Jewish artist, Miki blends portraiture, found imagery, and personal history. They hold degrees from RISD and NYU, and their work has appeared in the RISD Museum, National Academy, and NYU galleries.

Ali Saracoglu

Ali Saracoglu is an Ebru (Turkish marbling) artist who began training at age five under his father, Musa Saracoglu. Rooted in traditional technique and contemporary expression, his work reflects balance, faith, and movement. Ali has exhibited internationally, including in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Venice, and New York City.

Muna Al Fadl

Muna Al Fadl is a NYC-based artist whose work explores memory, fragmentation, and post-war Damascus. Using stain on found wood, architectural forms, and image transfer, she examines reconstruction and diasporic nostalgia. Her pieces merge Umayyad motifs, marquetry influences, and fractured cityscapes to honor resilience and interrogate longing for an uncharted home.

Eric Scott

Eric Scott Horn creates visual work linked to two long-term literary projects: an illustrated novel set across ancient Mediterranean history and an illustrated survey of philosophy. With degrees from Dickinson and Baruch, and having conducted six archaeological excavations, he works primarily in acrylics, occasionally incorporating mixed materials to enrich his narratives.

The future for Open Archways: By the Light of the Same Moon is bright. BAC has a growing community of artists that are expressing an interest to also be included in future shows. The Collective plans exhibitions in other cities beginning with NYC. As one of their curators is moving to Israel, they hope to have a show there as well.  BAC’s dream for the future is to develop a global community of artists that are speaking to many faiths and finding commonality across borders, languages, and traditions.

The Bowery Art Collective is located at 335 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ  08840. There is easy access to parking and mass transit options. Open Archways will hold its opening reception on December 18th, 2025, at 7 p.m. It will be on view for one month following the opening. The art will be shown by appointment for one month after the show and all of the art will be posted and available through the Collective’s website. For more information, visit: www.boweryartcollective.org

Photo Credit: All photos are courtesy of Bowery Art Collective