The New Renaissance Art Show Signals a Cultural Shift in New York’s Contemporary Art Scene
Jadyn Violet performing his highly anticipated set for his IRL community and Twitch livestream.
The New Renaissance, hosted inside Mo’MAS High Society at Herbwell, was a living, breathing ecosystem and an answer to “what’s next?”. Across a multitude of immersive levels, just minutes from the MoMA, and nestled within Madison Avenue’s historic art corridor, hundreds of artists, collectors, streamers, tastemakers, and cultural workers converged for a night that felt less like an event and more like the ignition of something larger.
IZA, resident artist (left) and her sister (right).
The exhibition concept centered on evolution, rebirth, and change — quiet or chaotic. Over 20 international digital artists exhibited alongside rising contemporary NYC-based resident creators, forming a dialogue between screens and canvas, projection and pigment, algorithm and intuition.
The digital exhibition curated by Josh Sauceda unfolded across a room on the 5th floor, each floor revealing introspective, emotionally charged, and experimental works that examined identity, technology, memory, and metamorphosis. In a moment where digital art continues to redefine authorship and ownership, this curation felt timely and urgent — proof that new media is not a trend, but a language.
The physical works, equally compelling, grounded the experience. Large-scale paintings, sculptural interventions, and intimate mixed-media pieces created pockets of stillness between sounds from the DJs above and below. The interplay between mediums felt intentional — a reminder that the “new renaissance” is not about replacing tradition, but expanding it.
Featured digital artists:
Pooja, JB, Vikki Bardot, Dr.Moonhatt4n, Lindsay Kokoska / Infinite Mantra, Tracy Meagher, Shir beck, DIANA REYES, bracha, safigül, Simone Behrsing, Remy Ulloa, Paolo Bianchini (pb67), PHATZ, EP, DeontaElite, M3th1ld3, Heike Seyffarth, H.E.R0, mlorartwork, David Yaqub, maryam Hasani, Slađana Marković, IZA, Oliver 13H
From 6:00 PM onward, the energy built floor by floor. DJ Reese set the tone during the reception hour, providing a backdrop for creatives to move through the space, drinks in hand, conversations unfolding organically between artworks. An arts and crafts station invited guests to shift from passive viewing to active participation — to paint, draw, reflect.
Exhibiting artist Diana Reyes leaving her mark on the arts and crafts canvas.
Between 9:00 and 10:00 PM, the room tightened and the focus shifted to live musical performances by MARS, Judah, and Jadyn Violet — three artists whose distinct identities mirrored the exhibition’s theme of transformation.
MARS delivered a set that layered emotion with forward-thinking R&B production - presented to us through a stunning voice reminiscent of artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.
Mars performing.
Judah brought a grounded, lyrical presence that commanded attention toward his Pop-Caribbean themes, weaving introspection with rhythm.
Judah performing.
Jadyn Violet, THE Twitch streamer & music artist from New Jersey closed the performance segment with magnetic vulnerability, his voice cutting through the space with clarity and intention while insinuating mini-mosh pits.
Jadyn Violet performing.
Together, their performances elevated the exhibition beyond visual experience — transforming it into a multi-sensory ritual. Music reverberated through the walls; bodies gathered closer. Performance became connective tissue and a reminder that art is not siloed by discipline, but unified by energy.
Oliver13H, resident artist at Mo’MAS High Society.
Dancer and producer, Karley Wasaff.
By late night, KILLGXXD (pronounced KILL GOOD), ARCHIV3’s resident DJ elevated the tempo. The upper floors buzzed with hip-hop/trap momentum while serious conversations about acquisitions, collaborations, and upcoming projects unfolded in quieter corners. This duality, celebration and intention defined the night.
KILLGXXD playing his high-volume set of the night.
What sets Mo’MAS High Society apart is not just its aesthetic or proximity to institutional art powerhouses — it’s positioning.
Herbwell has long centered representation, minority voices, and accessibility. Mo’MAS High Society extends that ethos into a multi-level cultural studio where contemporary artists can exhibit, sell, perform, and build community. The space is designed not as a white cube, but as a social architecture.. one that encourages interaction rather than intimidation.
Streamers and content creators documented the night in real time. Influencers and cultural figures drifted between floors. Cameras flashed. Interviews unfolded. The space felt porous and connected not just to the art world, but to the digital ecosystems shaping culture today.
Benjamin Hardy, filmmaker.
Sasa Juste, Music Artist, Model, and Cultural Producer.
Paul Sanchez, artist and designer.
In moments like these, you begin to understand how movements form. Basquiat once painted in downtown clubs before institutions caught up. Haring turned subways and nightlife into galleries. The next generation will not emerge solely from MFA studios or blue-chip pipelines, they will rise from hybrid spaces like this, where digital fluency meets physical presence, and where community is currency.
Mo’MAS High Society is primed to become that kind of incubator. A space where the next Basquiat or Haring could be sketching quietly in the corner — or live painting in front of a crowd, as Bleu Pablo did during the evening — before the wider art world fully realizes what’s happening.
Bleu Pablo, contemporary artist and founder of Bleucalf Magazine.
Bleu Pablo and Founder/Manager of Mo’MAS High Society.
Beyond the art and performances, the night was intentionally engineered for meaningful exchange.
High-value networking wasn’t left to chance. The result? Fewer missed opportunities. More direct alignment. Less wandering, more building. VIP guests circulated with drinks, while general admission attendees enjoyed free access to the exhibition, performances, and programming — reinforcing the event’s ethos of access and inclusivity without sacrificing quality. Additionally, an arts & crafts station allowed guests to paint & draw - reminding them that art should be accessible and is truly for anyone.
Left: Crypto Streamer Advyth.
An active game of Chess.
Jadyn Violet signing Bleu Pablo’s walking cane.
The phrase “new renaissance” is often used loosely. But what unfolded inside Mo’MAS High Society felt aligned with its weight.
A convergence of disciplines.
A democratization of access.
A blending of high art and underground energy.
A digital-native generation claiming physical space.
This exhibition embodied the very shifts we’ve been documenting for years. The boundaries are dissolving. The mediums are merging. The institutions are evolving.
Exhibiting artist, Diana REyes
Exhibiting artist, Deonta Elite.
Exhibiting artist, Layne Morgan.
A viewing within the digital art exhibition room.
If this was any indication, Mo’MAS High Society is not just hosting exhibitions — it is cultivating a cultural epicenter.
And if history teaches us anything, it’s that movements often begin in rooms exactly like this.