API night jersey Sumana Ghosh-Wotherspoon

One of the powers of art is bringing together different worlds, cultures and people. It’s also one of the challenges.

For Sumana Ghosh-Witherspoon, a South Orange, New Jersey artist, the challenge in creating the Devils’ custom designed Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Night jersey was in bridging together a diverse Asian community and the hockey community.

“I think it’s important to introduce the sport to different cultures,” she said. “I don’t see that many from my community playing hockey. I like the idea of having that exposure for other communities to be introduced to the sport.

“There are almost a million Asian Americans in New Jersey. Hockey and the New Jersey Devils are such a New Jersey institution that I thought it was a great way to combine the two things that seem very different but is a nice way to bridge the two together.”

The final product will be featured when the Devils host their annual API Night on Jan. 14 against the Florida Panthers. The players will wear the jerseys during arrivals and they’ll be auctioned between Jan. 14-21 with proceeds benefiting AAPI New Jersey.

For the jerseys, Ghosh-Witherspoon utilized light colors, textures and folk art of India and a carving method from rubber stamps to create a woodblock print effect.

“I love to incorporate my art into something seemingly so different like hockey,” she said. “That’s also why it had this femininity to the image, and I love that contrast with it being on a jersey of men playing hockey. I love the clashing of the two worlds.”

Her goal was to find a way to incorporate as many Asian cultures as possible while combining it with hockey culture. The major elements featured are a peacock, cherry blossoms and hibiscus flowers.

“Lumping together Asian culture as a whole is difficult because there are so many diverse elements,” she said. “There are so many different cultures with different aesthetics and different foods, different everything.”

A teal peacock is featured inside the Devils logo crest with stenciled feathers.

“The peacock is universal in a lot of Asian cultures,” she said. “It symbolizes beauty and good fortune. I just thought it was the perfect symbol because it brought all of these together.”

Ghosh-Witherspoon’s art was heavily influenced by her time living in India from ages 10-18. And that influence can be seen in the peacock’s image.

“I just loved the textiles (in India) and the style of block printing,” she said. “I picked up a carving kit that I was trying out. It’s very easy to carve rubber material and gives the impression of a wood block print.

“So, for the Devils logo I wanted to keep that practice there, so having that effect of the logo with a block printed look. So, I carved a peacock specially for the design and some flowers. That’s how the image came about.”

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      New Jersey-based artist Sumana Ghosh-Witherspoon talks about creating the Devils' API jersey

      Behind the peacock and all over the number on the back is an overflowing of pink cherry blossoms.

      “Cherry blossoms are interesting in that they’re very important to Japanese culture. Cherry blossoms are an important symbol of Spring and they’re in a lot of art,” Ghosh-Witherspoon said. “They’re famous in Japan. But they’re also a big part of Essex County and New Jersey. It was a nice element that ties the two cultures together.

      “That’s why I incorporated that, and the delicate nature of the pink and the flowers with the sport, I like that contrast.”

      For extra pop, a few maroon hibiscus flowers are sprinkled into the background.

      “With the hibiscus flowers, those are very important across Asia in ceremonies, festivals and important occasions,” she said. “I thought it was another nice element that ties a lot of different Asian cultures together.”

      Ghosh-Witherspoon enjoyed the challenge of bridging together the many Asian cultures and the hockey world. And it’s something she never thought of doing until this project.

      “I really enjoyed bridging cultures together. Something I would never have thought about is making my art a part of a sport like hockey,” she said. “To have that be exposed to people who might not have thought to watch the sport or be involved in the sport, it’s interesting that they might open their eyes to something different. I think it’s important that kids, who might not see themselves in certain sports like hockey, that maybe the aspect of bringing it in artistically could spark some interest in the sport and bring a new audience to it.

      “But I think that integration is important. It opens up new worlds. A hockey audience might be exposed to something different from the Asian community. And the Asian community can also be exposed to something new.”

      Ghosh-Witherspoon is also looking forward to attending API Night and seeing the various elements and initiatives to splice together the many cultures. And, of course, Ghosh-Witherspoon is excited to see her final product brought to life.

      “I love that the Devils are doing this night. It’s great,” she said. “I do designs for fabric but never in the context of sports. So, I found that exciting. I’m really fascinated when things come alive and its wearable art. That’s really cool, too.”