Bio and CV - Rachel Fawn Alban

Bio

Rachel Fawn Alban is a photographer and museum educator based in Newark, NJ. Her work has been exhibited throughout New Jersey and New York City including at Newark Museum of Art, Paul Robeson Galleries, Obscura Darkroom, Heidi Gallery, Gallery 14C, Studio Montclair’s Leach Gallery, and Drawing Rooms JC.

Rachel's public art projects include The Golden Life (2024), a mural series co-created with Armisey Smith and organized by Project For Empty Space, supported by the City of Newark and Bloomberg Philanthropies; and a photomural for NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler (2023), part of the Arts in Medicine Community Mural Project funded by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. She is a three-time recipient of the City of Newark’s Creative Catalyst Fund Fellowship.

Rachel currently teaches with The Museum of Modern Art and The Jewish Museum in NYC, and Paul Robeson Galleries at Rutgers University-Newark. She holds a BFA in Art Education and Graphic Design (duel major) and MPS in Art Therapy, both from the School of Visual Arts.

Bio

Photographer, Public Artist, and Museum Educator

Based in Newark, NJ. Current studio in Manufacturer’s Village, East Orange, NJ.

Education

2007 MPS Art Therapy. School of Visual Arts, New York, NY

1999 BFA Art Education, dual major Graphic Design. School of Visual Arts, New York, NY

Exhibitions

2025 Manufacturers Village Fall Open Studios. East Orange, NJ

2025 Pure Joy. Newark Arts Festival Exhibition, Curated by Adrienne Wheeler. Paul Robeson Galleries, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

2025 Formless. Curated by Anne Trauben, Drawing Rooms, Jersey City, NJ

2025 Pride-full. Curated by Jeremy Moss, Heidi Gallery at JSDD, Livingston, NJ

2025 To Not Be Afraid Lo Lefached Klal. Hebrew Educational Alliance, Denver, Colorado

2024-2025 WAR/ peace. Curated by Robinson Holloway. Gallery 14C, Jersey City, NJ

2024 Dwelling in Hope. Curated by Joel Morgovsky. Studio Montclair’s Leach Gallery, NJ

2024 The Art of Solitude. Presented by ArtBreakout, The Local, Queens, NY

2024 Community Connections. Heidi Gallery at JSDD, Livingston, NJ

2023 Cross Cultural Perspectives. Curated by Adrienne Wheeler. Newark Museum of Art, NJ

2023 Nork! Photo Fest. Newark City Parks, Newark, NJ

2023 You Inspire Me. Obscura Darkroom at Project for Empty Space, Newark, NJ

2022 Artful Healing. Curated by Adrienne Wheeler. Newark Museum of Art, NJ

2022 Home: The Spaces We Inhabit. Presented by ArtBreakout, The Local, Queens, NY

2021 Alone/Together: A Visual Meditation on Our Times. The Local, Queens, NY

2018 Metro Texture 111, Street Photography Show. Con Artist Collective, New York, NY

2018 Faces & Voices of Manhattan's Neighborhood Storefronts. NYPL Jefferson Market Library

2017 Photography Documenting NYC Hip Hop Culture. Queens Hip Hop Festival, LIC Arts Open

2014 Fridge Art Fair. Street Art NYC Booth, Curated by Lois Stavsky. Queens, NY

2014 Photo-Graffs: Images of Urban Culture. Gold Coast Art Center, Great Neck, NY

2014 5Pointz NYC Google Arts & Culture, virtual exhibition presented by StreetArtNYC

2013 Photoville. East River Ferry Gallery. Brooklyn Bridge Park, NYC

2012 My Empire State Building. Empire State Building 5th Avenue Gallery, New York, NY

2006 Doors, Mirrors, Windows. SVA Visual Arts Gallery, New York, NY. 3 person exhibition

Selected Public Art Projects and Awards

2025, 2024, 2022 Creative Catalyst Fund Artist Fellowship, Newark, NJ

2024 The Golden Life Mural Project, Newark, NJ. Co-created with Armisey Smith. Organized by Project for Empty Space and the City of Newark. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

2024 Come As You Are: Bridge Housing Community (Hope Village II), Newark, NJ. Photographic installation inside new housing units. Collaboration with Project for Empty Space and the City of Newark, Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services.

2023 Healing in Community, NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler, Roosevelt Island, NY. Organized by NYC Health + Hospitals Arts in Medicine Community Mural Project. Supported by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.

Curatorial Projects

2021 On and Off the Streets: Urban Art New Jersey. Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ. Guest curated with Lois Stavsky

Select Photography Clients

Audible, City of Newark - Division of Arts and Culture, Four Corners Public Arts, Morris Museum, New York Red Bulls, NYU Arts & Science, Newark Arts, Newark Artist Collaboration, Newark Press Office, NJPAC Center for Arts Ed, Paul Robeson Galleries, Project for Empty Space, Rutgers University Newark ACM, SRI Fine Art Services, Visual Arts Center NJ, YWCA NYC

Teaching and Professional Experience

2024-present Coordinator of Access Programs, Museum Educator, The Jewish Museum, New York

2023-present Museum Educator, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY

2017-present Artist Educator, Paul Robeson Galleries, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

2015-2017 Full Time Education Specialist, Roads to Success, New York, NY

2014-2021 Teaching Artist, Abrons Art Center, Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY

2013-2015 Art Therapist/ Counselor, OHEL Children's Home & Family Services, Brooklyn, NY

2008-2012 Art Therapist/ Counselor, Counseling in Schools, New York, NY

2007-2010 Part Time Art Therapist, NYU Langone, Rusk Institute, New York, NY

Select Public Programs and Presentations

2024–present Drop-In Drawing, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY. Monthly public gallery program

2025 Family Day, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, NY Bi-monthly public gallery program

2025 Access Community Day, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

2024 Creating Community Connections with Photography, Face to Face Conference, NYC Arts Education Roundtable, City College of New York, NY

2023 Golden Life Community Workshop, Co-host with Armisey Smith, Newark Public Library, NJ

2023, 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Juror

2022 Community Engagement Programs, Paul Robeson Galleries, in collaboration with Jerry Gant Legacy, Pink Dragon Management, Arts Ed Newark, and Newark Arts; organized and led events at Greater Newark Conservancy, Halsey Street Festival, and Nat Turner Park, Newark, NJ

2021 Conversation with National NYL Award Winners, Moderator, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

2021 Stories of Loss and Grief Told through Art and Writing, Panelist, Scholastic Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Sponsored by the New York Life Foundation

2021 reCONNECT Virtual Arts Education Conference, Facilitator, APLI and NJ Arts Education

2021 Outside/Outsider: Artists Confronting Mental Illness, Panelist, Fountain House Gallery, NYC

2020 Grief and Growth, Virtual Workshop Series for Teens and Educators, Scholastic Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Sponsored by the New York Life Foundation

2019 Grief and Growth, A Full Day Program for Teens, Facilitator, Newark Museum of Art, in partnership with Scholastic Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the New York Life Foundation

2019 The Living Museum, Co-host, Untapped NY Tour with Lois Stavsky, Queens, NY

2018 MoSA: Museum of Street Art, Co-host, Untapped NY Tour with Marie Flageul, Curator, NYC

Select Teaching Artist Residencies, School Programs, and Workshop Series

2025 (Fall) MoMA Access School Partnership, 1st and 2nd grade students with autism and learning disabilities, 7 classes, 8 sessions each, New York, NY

2025 Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month, The Jewish Museum, 7 assembly programs, presented at 6 different Montclair Public Schools, NJ

2025 (Spring) MoMA Access School Partnership, 1st and 2nd grade students with autism and learning disabilities, 4 classes, 8 sessions each, New York, NY

2025 (Spring) MoMA School Partnership, three 8th grade classes, 3 sessions each, New York, NY

2025 (Spring) The Jewish Museum School Partnership, Kindergarten, 12 sessions, and Grades 3–4, 6 sessions, Brooklyn, NY

2024 MoMA Access School Partnership, 6th grade ICT/special education, 4 sessions, Queens, NY

2023–2024 MoMA School Partnership, 12 high school classes, 3 sessions each, Queens, NY

2023 Photography Workshops, NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler, 4 sessions, Roosevelt Island, NY

2020-2025 Healing-Centered Engagement and the Arts, Virtual Workshop Series, Arts Ed Newark, NEA grant

2019-2020 Self Care and the Arts, Workshop Facilitator, Arts Ed Newark, NEA grant

2019 (Summer) Teaching Artist Residency, Marble Jam Kids, Hackensack, NJ

2019 Teaching Artist Residency, Fresh Art NYC

2017-2019 Artist Educator, Pathways to Achievement & College Pathways Initiative, Rutgers University Pre-College Programs, Paul Robeson Galleries, Express Newark, NJ

2014-2017 Abrons Art Center School Partnership, Intro to Digital Photography, daily elective classes in a middle school, New York, NY

Press and publications about my work

Teaching Artist and Photographer Rachel Fawn Alban on “The Golden Life” Mural Project in Newark, NJ Street Art NYC, 5/8/2025

City of Newark Arts & Cultural Affairs Annual Report 2022-2024, printed and digital magazine, 2025

Rising Stars: meet Rachel Fawn Alban, Canvas Rebel Magazine, 3/25/2025

Notes & Exhibitions Visual Arts Journal, Fall/Winter 2024–25

Women's History Month: Mural created to showcase strength, spiritual greatness of Newark women, News 12 New Jersey, 3/18/2024

These Stunning Murals Are Shouting Out the Influential Women of Newark NJ Family, 3/6/2024

Newark's Women & Their Essential Role on Full Display in the Multi-Facade Mural "The Golden Life" vb cjtby Armisey Smith and Rachel Fawn Alban, GothamToGo, 2/15/2024

Enhancing an underpass by celebrating local women and girls, Bloomberg Philanthropies, 2024

Come As You Are: Bridge Housing Community, Project for Empty Space, 2024

Meet Rachel Fawn Alban, Canvas Rebel Magazine, 12/20/2023