{"id":23779,"date":"2026-03-18T10:38:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?post_type=press-release&p=23779"},"modified":"2026-03-18T10:40:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:40:05","slug":"art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/","title":{"rendered":"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Orange County, FL<\/strong> \u2014 Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs<\/a> presents “Mass Mixed Media” by A.J. Barbel<\/a> in the Orange County Multicultural Center Art Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested<\/a>. “Mass Mixed Media” will be displayed through Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The Multicultural Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays.<\/p>\n

“I create work that blends abstraction with Afro-surrealism to explore truth, memory, and cultural identity,\u201d said Barbel. \u201cMy art connects personal storytelling with collective experiences, inviting audiences to see the familiar in new and thought-provoking ways.”<\/p>\n

Achille \u201cA.J.\u201d Barbel<\/a> describes himself as a multidisciplinary artist and designer driven by a passion for visual storytelling. His work examines the intersection of culture, media, and identity. Born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and raised in Florida and Chicago, A.J. developed a keen eye for detail at an early age. Art became a creative outlet and a means of self-expression. Through murals, installations, and animation, he reimagines history and everyday life in ways that spark reflection.<\/p>\n

WHEN:<\/strong>
\nOpening reception on Wednesday, March 18, 2026
\nDoors open at 4:30 p.m.
\nProgram begins at 5:10 p.m.
\nDisplay continues through Tuesday, April 14, 2026<\/p>\n

WHERE:<\/strong>
\nThe Multicultural Gallery
\nOrange County Multicultural Center
\n7149 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32818<\/p>\n

HOW:<\/strong>
\nAdmission to the reception is free, but advance registration is requested<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Orange County, FL \u2014 Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs presents “Mass Mixed Media” by A.J. Barbel in the Orange County Multicultural Center Art Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested. “Mass Mixed Media” will be displayed through Tuesday, April 14, 2026. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-23779","press-release","type-press-release","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nArt in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Orange County, FL \u2014 Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs presents “Mass Mixed Media” by A.J. Barbel in the Orange County Multicultural Center Art Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested. “Mass Mixed Media” will be displayed through Tuesday, April 14, 2026. […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OCFL Newsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OrangeCountyFlorida\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-18T14:40:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"648\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"853\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@OrangeCoFL\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/\",\"name\":\"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-18T14:38:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-18T14:40:05+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png\",\"width\":648,\"height\":853},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Press Releases\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/media-advisories\\\/press-releases\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/\",\"name\":\"OCFL Newsroom\",\"description\":\"Orange County, Florida | Government Newsroom\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Orange County Government Newsroom\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2017\\\/03\\\/NEWS-APP-DropShadow.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2017\\\/03\\\/NEWS-APP-DropShadow.png\",\"width\":504,\"height\":504,\"caption\":\"Orange County Government Newsroom\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newsroom.ocfl.net\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/OrangeCountyFlorida\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/OrangeCoFL\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/ocfl\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/orange-county-government\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCff6MZzeWNpXg6TCU3jdxbA\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel","og_description":"Orange County, FL \u2014 Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs presents “Mass Mixed Media” by A.J. Barbel in the Orange County Multicultural Center Art Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested. “Mass Mixed Media” will be displayed through Tuesday, April 14, 2026. […]","og_url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/","og_site_name":"OCFL Newsroom","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OrangeCountyFlorida\/","article_modified_time":"2026-03-18T14:40:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":648,"height":853,"url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@OrangeCoFL","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/","url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/","name":"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png","datePublished":"2026-03-18T14:38:30+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-18T14:40:05+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/26.01_OC-Logo-V-Color.png","width":648,"height":853},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/2026\/03\/art-in-the-multicultural-center-opening-reception-mass-mixed-media-by-a-j-barbel\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Press Releases","item":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/media-advisories\/press-releases\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Art in the Multicultural Center Opening Reception: \u201cMass Mixed Media\u201d by A.J. Barbel"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#website","url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/","name":"OCFL Newsroom","description":"Orange County, Florida | Government Newsroom","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#organization","name":"Orange County Government Newsroom","url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/NEWS-APP-DropShadow.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/NEWS-APP-DropShadow.png","width":504,"height":504,"caption":"Orange County Government Newsroom"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OrangeCountyFlorida\/","https:\/\/x.com\/OrangeCoFL","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ocfl\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/orange-county-government","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCff6MZzeWNpXg6TCU3jdxbA"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/23779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}