CUSP Gallery is organizing the first art exhibition at Newport's historic Belmont Chapel following a major restoration. Titled "As Above, So Below," the show runs from June 14 to 22, 2025, and features circular paintings by local artist Juditta Musette that blend cosmic and earthly themes. The opening reception is June 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. The chapel, built in 1886 by financier August Belmont in memory of his daughter Pauline, recently underwent restoration led by the Belmont Chapel Foundation, earning the 2024 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Award and a Rhody Award for Historic Preservation. Musette will also preview a painting at the Belmont Stakes Race Day Fundraiser, donating it to the foundation's charity auction.
This exhibition matters because it marks a new cultural chapter for a historically significant Newport landmark, pairing contemporary art with a restored sacred space. CUSP Gallery, which moved to Newport from Provincetown in 2023 and operates from a 225-year-old house, has become a hub for contemporary art in the city, hosting weekly events and founding the Newport Artists Collective. The show demonstrates how adaptive reuse of historic sites can foster local artistic communities and engage audiences with both heritage and contemporary creativity.