Artwork Enhances the “MORPHOLOGY” Experience
During the four-day run of “Morphology,” audiences were treated to a display of artwork by Michael Angelo Mangino, a 21-year-old self-taught painter from Pittstown, NJ, whose work is deeply expressive. A primarily nonspeaking artist, Michael discovered his visual voice at Studio Route 29, a progressive art studio in Frenchtown, NJ, that centers the creative practices of artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since joining the studio through a high school program in 2022, Mangino has developed a distinctive abstract style characterized by fluid marks, layered textures and poetic restraint.
“The integration of Mangino’s artwork deepened the experience of ‘Morphology,’ a play about a mother and her nonverbal autistic son navigating life and communication in a world that often overlooks them,” says Phillips’ Mill board member Dennis Riley.
Studio Route 29 and Phillips’ Mill share a vision of a world that values inclusion, cretivity and community connection. The decision to display Mangino’s work alongside the play was a natural extension of this commitment—inviting viewers to celebrate the creative potential in all people.
As Phillips’ Mill continues to broaden its programming and perspectives, collaborations like this one bring new energy to the space.
Learn more about Studio Route 29 at https://studioroute29.org/
