Mel's Art Zone: Illuminations

Exhibit

Arti Facts by Mel Nusbaum

Dates

July – August 2026

Location

Edna Kawulitzki Gallery
Tenafly Public Library
100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly NJ

The Vortex

A hypnotic neon color spiral mounted on reflective crystal holographic vinyl.

Bloominations

Bold cutout forms backlit in vivid colors, glowing like stained glass.

Strat

A glowing neon guitar shape outlined by twinkling lights, with an iridescent background.

This Is Art/This Is Not Art

Two contrasting graffiti posters use wordplay to challenge our definitions of 'art', what it is and what it isn't.

Interactive version: click here
or scan QR code at gallery

What's the Matter?

A word diagram tracing the causes of war and conflict, from ego, fear, and instinct to disastrous effects.

Friend Me!

A barrage of the cliches and buzzwords that draw people into scrolling through social media apps.

Artist's notes:

For my latest creations, I use today's tech (digital graphics, programmable lights, computer-controlled cutting tools, and artificial intelligence) to help me put my ideas into practice.
'Illuminations: Kinetic/Aesthetic' contains two kinds of artifacts:
• Lightplay - luminous backlit flowers that glow from within, and brilliant neon designs with vivid changing colors.
• Wordmaps – posters of hand-drawn graffiti with layered words and ideas.
Please Note: The dual wordmaps 'This is Art' and 'This is not Art' can change into touchscreen kiosks on your phone where every word is clickable. To activate this feature, just scan the QR code on the middle poster.

— Mel Nusbaum

LightPlay

WordMaps