New Jersey Underground Developmental: 21

Rhythm and Hues Autumn Exhibition

Following the Grand Opening of August 2025, Alana Taijé joined fellow curators Cynthia Castañeda and Matthew Lindbad for their second showcase in Tribeca, NYC.

Photography by Matthew Cerone

Our event began with a beautiful performance by host and singer Cynthia Castañeda, trumpeter & composer Anthony Hervey, and guitarist Aayushi Karnik. Their bold and entrancing mix provided an ambiance that both commanded attention and set the scene for the night.

Pictured from left to right: Aayushi Karnik playing guitar, Anthony Hervey on trumpet, and Cynthia Castañeda (vocalizing).

I remember when Cynthia first told me that Hervey and Karnik would be joining us. [During a few informal meetings] We were talking about the scheduled programming for the night, and how she wanted to make her own performance more enticing. Not only was I personally excited, but I felt she was well-received by the crowd too, so of course I was interested in helping her make it happen. After like, two or three weeks, we met again to talk 'business'. Cynthia brought up how two Juilliard music-school graduates reached out to her with interest in helping make these dreams come true too. They messaged her something like: "We'd love to support your upcoming event as performers, and really admire your ambition! Can't wait to meet you!"

I remember saying, out loud, something like: "What!? Are you fucking serious? How cool!" and we did something like squeal and clasp our hands together, swaying side to side.

I just remember being so excited. It was a big signal to me that other people were interested in what we were doing, you know. Not only, like, other painters and sculptors and photographers who would be showcasing, but other creatives too.

That little extra push, that 'umph' is something I had been missing; I've frequented unconventionally creative, musical, and professionally artistic communities in tandem, but to have them blended made me feel somewhat euphoria-adjacent. Like, beyond excitement for the future of our creative endeavors, but a bit reserved for the sake of not allowing my own excitement to blind me. I know it wasn't my peak, but it was a taste of that 'high' for lack of better word. I'd been eager to merge all facets of my curiosities and this was just the beginning.

Their music was beautiful. It really moved me. If I were one of those old schools DJ's, with the recorders and dial-up modems-and-shit, I would've recorded them live and produced the record my damn self!

They performed a mix of free-form jazz, ska, and Sinatra covers with Cynthia on vocals. Cynthia's voice alone moved me the first time I heard her live during our Grand Opening, and with her two-man ensemble, ugh... they really were just something else.

I've always wanted to create music, but in the same ways that I allow my traditional talent to drift, I don't put my thought-to-hand with sound and haven't done much more than a home-'produced' single in 2023. It was titled Tantrum and, on the LOWEST financial scale possible, I publicly released it for like two weeks on streaming services and then deleted it out of embarrassment.

I think, conceptually, it was really fun and I would definitely like to continue exploring that privately. But, I think because I'm used to going straight from sketching-to-rendering, and rendering-to-publishing, I expected the musical exploration to be a formulaic straight-line for me too. I needed to treat music with the sanctity and respect it deserved; and thus, I have to spend more time toying around with it. But I admire it really, how people are naturally inclined to these talents the same way I was naturally drawn to mine.

So, I really respect [musicians]. Painting and artwork that's thought of traditionally still allows the artist some sort anonymity, which is where I thrive, really. Publishing work in general takes real confidence... that's your voice, something that I believe is a spiritual force, y'know, associated with the throat chakra? Now that's real guts. Allowing your voice to be heard in ballad. Allowing those vocal waves to escape your inner cavity and infect the eardrums of another... it's just another form of creation that marvels me.

My hat goes off to you guys. Thank you.

Fine artist Sarah Girard returned to Rhythm & Hues after exhibiting in their debut, seen alongside a group of tight-knit friends.

Pictured: A group of young adults - presumably friends - smiling, laughing, and posing beside Sarah and her respective pieces, wearing a green, button-up dress, a sleek, shoulder-length, middle-part black bob and golden tassel earrings.

I didn't get to interact with Sara much, but I could tell she was a sweetheart.

When she first dropped off her pieces during prep-time, for both the first-and-second showcase, Girard asked us if we needed any helping hands, and was adamant about helping us in any way possible. Cynthia, Matthew, and I reassured her everything was okay, that this day was intended to pamper and uplift her (and the other participant's) work! But the sentiment was greatly appreciated, of course.

Sara's pieces were absolutely lovely. To me, they communicated an aura of gentleness, featuring an array hyper-realistic sea shells - a mix of disembodied oysters and clams and pearls upon a circular, beige canvas, a city skyline, an immensely detailed goldfish, a teensy-tiny, almost palm-sized portrait of a Yorkshire Terrier against a bold, red background, and a black-and-white square portrait of her wedded mother, with a blooming field of color behind her, highly reminiscent of those scientific diagrams of human magnetic fields, all rendered in acrylic paint.

Acrylic, to me, is one of those tricky mediums that requires care. I love acrylic for its visual pungency and color accuracy (if you know, you know...), but I had a horrible habit of undermixing my custom color palettes, so it would be hard for me to return to projects and color-match después de secao.

Group of people posing together in a room with framed pictures on the wall.

Photographer Drewski celebrated multiple sales surrounded by love, admiration, and ...

Pictured: Baez standing before her pieces, holding a young child in her arms. The two embrace each other lovingly, indicating an intimate, familial connection.

[insert thoughts and video clips here]

April Baez, acrylic sculptor and first-time Rhythm & Hues exhibitionist, showcased otherworldly, three-dimensional pieces that offered an immersive, hands-on experience to all. Baez encouraged onlookers to interact with her works by gently touching crafted flowers, an almost six-foot rendered gown, and a fully-functional, 'How To' book, all made of hardened acrylic paint.

Pictured: Baez standing before her pieces, holding a young child in her arms. The two embrace each other lovingly, indicating an intimate, familial connection.

[insert thoughts and video clips here]

Event host Cynthia Castañeda's younger cousin, Legend Art 1999, made his first public appearance and sales at the Autumn Exhibition, fulfilling two life-long dreams in one night.

Pictured: Cynthia Castañeda and her younger cousin celebrating a print sale. A customer is seen holding an illustrative print as the artist holds a congratulatory 'sold' sign. Fellow creative Raymond Blum can be seen to the far left corner, slightly out of shot.

After leading a community-centered church event, Chiara Rodriguez returned to Rhythm & Hues to participate in the evening showcase. Spiritually driven and a bundle of joy, Chiara's life work blends her worship and inner-child work, encouraging others to explore their future, present, and past selves.

Sydnee Oyatola Adeola: Brooklyn Based fine artist

Talented painter and tattoo artist Sumukhi Tattoo's stunning acrylic pieces were absolutely enchanting! Featuring large, detailed, and visually striking depections of formative world culture, her artwork referenced the roots of spiritual histories, music, and modern film in hand-crafted detail.

Ugh! I really wish Miss Sumukhi and I got to chat more this night.

I don't know why, but I was already exhausted before the event even started. I was running behind my own prep-schedule because some pieces were still being put up, but I was running in-and-out of this little curtain area behind the bar in like, breaks to try and get ready little-by-little. Our photographer Matt came in and ended up catching a few shots of me in my 'unrest'. I think I was like, okay, mentally: 'People are starting to come in, I look like a bum and people are starting to come in...' and I sort of rationalized, like, would it be better to be seen by the public in my raw element, glasses on, hair undone, and fucking mismatched socks as I'm finishing up these installments, or should I at least put on my little dress and heels and get back to it?'

So I put on the dress and heels, boom, ran back out to keep nailing up some stuff. Ran back behind the curtains, put on my lashes and lipstick, and back out. I check on the pieces I hung thirty-minutes prior and finish putting up some description tags. Boom, back to fixing my hair and press-ons another thrity minutes later. Then I'm back out, scanning the crowd and walking around to greet vendors and guests. Back in. Back out. In, out, in...

I did a few impromptu interviews amongst the crowd before I really got the chance to socialze. Again, there was just this internal overwhelm. So, when I finally made it to Sumukhi's curated corner, with the black leather couch and tiger plush I arranged above the leopard fombra, I felt cozy. Comfortable. I don't know if it was the fact that this corner was my favorite little section out of the entire event that I put together, or if it was Sumukhi's beautiful artwork that made me feel at home, or if it was a mix of both. I just remember looking at her work and feeling this burning, jumbled, scrambled feeling in my chest escaping and tingling between my brows. In my own pseduo-spiritual beliefs, that felt to me like what art is supposed to do. Move you. Make you feel something, hopefully at home, at joy, at peace. I saw Sumukhi's peice featuring a visual mapping of cultural diaspora, and I felt I could come to tears. Someone else understood how important this is, the ability to create, to connect, to communicate beyond words and pictures but an amaglamation of your own handiwork is beyond talent; to me it is spiritual, it is sacred, and I felt this relayed through the canvas.

I truly feel as though my sentiments do not do this work justice enough. I look forward to connecting with her in the near future!

Event host Cynthia Castañeda's younger cousin, Legend Art 1999, made his first public appearance and sales at the Autumn Exhibition, fulfilling two life-long dreams in one night.

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On June 14th, 2023, Taije (L★NI) returned for the NJUD's 21st Showcase, "Women's Night". Here, L★NI hosted a mini photoshoot raffle to promote their explorative photography.

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Rhythm and Hues Autumn Exhibition

I remember saying, out loud, something like: "What!? Are you fucking serious? How cool!" and we did something like squeal and clasp our hands together, swaying side to side.

I just remember being so excited. It was a big signal to me that other people were interested in what we were doing, you know. Not only, like, other painters and sculptors and photographers who would be showcasing, but other creatives too.

Their music was beautiful. It really moved me. If I were one of those old schools DJ's, with the recorders and dial-up modems-and-shit, I would've recorded them live and produced the record my damn self!

They performed a mix of free-form jazz, ska, and Sinatra covers with Cynthia on vocals. Cynthia's voice alone moved me the first time I heard her live during our Grand Opening, and with her two-man ensemble, ugh... they really were just something else.

My hat goes off to you guys. Thank you.

I didn't get to interact with Sara much, but I could tell she was a sweetheart.

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[Source] [Source]

On June 14th, 2023, Taije (L★NI) returned for the NJUD's 21st Showcase, "Women's Night". Here, L★NI hosted a mini photoshoot raffle to promote their explorative photography.

[Source]

[Source] [Source]

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Rhythm and Hues Autumn Exhibition

I remember saying, out loud, something like: "What!? Are you fucking serious? How cool!" and we did something like squeal and clasp our hands together, swaying side to side.

I just remember being so excited. It was a big signal to me that other people were interested in what we were doing, you know. Not only, like, other painters and sculptors and photographers who would be showcasing, but other creatives too.

Their music was beautiful. It really moved me. If I were one of those old schools DJ's, with the recorders and dial-up modems-and-shit, I would've recorded them live and produced the record my damn self!

They performed a mix of free-form jazz, ska, and Sinatra covers with Cynthia on vocals. Cynthia's voice alone moved me the first time I heard her live during our Grand Opening, and with her two-man ensemble, ugh... they really were just something else.

My hat goes off to you guys. Thank you.

[Source]

[Source]

[Source] [Source]

On June 14th, 2023, Taije (L★NI) returned for the NJUD's 21st Showcase, "Women's Night". Here, L★NI hosted a mini photoshoot raffle to promote their explorative photography.

[Source]

[Source] [Source]

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