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| Our Current Exhibit
The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society opened the new exhibit, Candles to Kerosene,
a historical perspective. The exhibit features period light fixtures
from colonial to 19th century, tracing the development of lighting from
the practical to fanciful, including early primitive whale oil lamps
and the most fashionable lamps and chandeliers of the carriage trade. Details and Slideshow
Past Exhibits
Royal Roots Revisited: Saluting the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau
Curated by Matthew Jensen with the assistance of Arthur Kirmss, Ellen Brody-Kirmss, Meghan Harkins, John Ogren and Stan Parchin
August 1, 2009 - November 15 , 2009
Exquisite silver and ceramic works document the Dutch Royal Family's centuries-old connection with New York since explorer Henry Hudson's landmark 1609 voyage up the waterway that would eventually bear his name. Rare coins, vessels and ephemera, ranging in date from the establishment of New Amsterdam through the modern era, provide historical and cultural context for the House of Orange-Nassau's enduring relationship with the Empire State. Archival photographs of Dutch monarchs' visits to New York are also exhibited. Click to download a copy of the press release.
Rites of Passage Curated by Richard Asbell and George Miller July 2008 - June 30, 2009 The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society presents Rites of Passage beginning July 26, 2008. The exhibition traces the history of cemeteries, makers of funerary monuments and florists in New York's Queens County. The Rural Cemeteries Act of 1847, a law that provided for the development of commercial burial grounds in New York State, dramatically changed the look of Queens and many of its neighborhoods' identities. Previous to the act's passage, interments occurred on church or private property. Large tracts of farmland were acquired and turned into beautiful cemeteries through the skillful work of talented landscape architects, sculptors and florists. A whole new breed of business evolved rapidly in the county. Our presentation, arranged in six display cases, features photographs, documents and artifacts related to a century of cemetery development in Queens. A central freestanding vitrine exhibits the work of early stonecutters in the form of inscribed grave markers.
Just After the Battle: an Exhibit of the American Civil War Curated by Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss October 2007 - June 28, 2008 The Greater Ridgewood Historical Society presents Just After the Battle, an exhibit of historic Civil War objects. Titled after a Civil War song of 1864, Just after the Battle is a multifaceted exhibit ─ presenting over 250 authentic period relics and artifacts. Included are weapons of the military, battlefield recoveries, domestic and personal items, photographs, Civil War money (North and South), patriotic and fraternal war era mementos, and much more.
De Boerderij Curated by Brenda Bradley and Mark Mulholland June 30 - October 13, 2007 Exciting paintings, prints, photography, and indoor and outdoor sculptures by more than a dozen contemporary artists comprise De Boerderij (the Dutch word for farm), a truly special exhibition inspired by aspects of agrarian life and the Onderdonk House. Participating artists included Diane Apostolacus, Pooja Bakri, Karen Beckhardt, Brenda Bradley, Cindy Gato, Rachel Jacobs, Paul Jacobson, Arthur Kirmss, Niki Lederer, Miranda Lloyd, Bettina Magi, Valessa Monk, Mark Mulholland, Georgina Queruel, Ellen Rand, Farah Salehi, James Saunders, Rosario Varela, Fotini Vurgaropulou, Nancy Ward and Brett Wintle.
Vernederlandsen: An Assimilated Anatomy
Exhibition of diorama drawings by Denise Martinez
October 1 - November 19, 2006 In The Netherlands there is a word, vernederlandsen, which takes the idea of cultural integration to a deeper level. It expresses the absorption of culture, an assimilation that has taken a deep, almost physical, root in the individual of foreign origin. As globalization generates increasing numbers of displaced and mobilized populations Martinez asks the viewer to consider questions surrounding cultural assimilation. Using flat surfaces, Martinez creates three dimensional works that cite historical paintings and integrate anatomical interpretations. Her visual vocabulary transcends national borders and integrates the symbolic with the visceral. Martinez began to explore the question, "What is appropriate cultural integration?" more than 20 years ago, when she left New Amsterdam (New York City) and immigrated to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. She became fluent in the Dutch language and learned about the history and cultural traditions of her adopted home. Despite this, Martinez considers herself one of a growing number in an emerging globalized culture that ushers in a new dimension of acculturation.
Cross Currencies - Making Money in Old New York Curated by Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss January - October 2006  Presented as a truly-cross cultural American experience, this exhibit revives the "lost" craft of wampum making. The interplay in wampum production between early European Colonials and the Algonkian people led to vibrant trade and the ultimate commercial success of New York. While the word connotes money, wampum making was itself a fine craft. In this exhibit, artist and curator Arthur Kirmss recreates the process with a display of primitive handmade tools. "Cross Currencies" includes artifacts of New Amsterdam and 17th century Holland; a recreation of the process of making wampum, New York's first currency; paintings, illustrations, beads and tools made by Mr. Kirmss; and much more.
An accomplished artist and musician, Mr. Kirmss' sculpture, paintings, jewelry, engravings and wood carvings can be found in many public and private collections, and he has written and published numerous articles on primitive shell bead making, wampum, and other subjects of historic and artistic interest. Part of our Sundays in June lecture series, Mr. Kirmss will provide a demonstration of wampum making, gallery talks and tours of the exhibit on June 4, 11 and 18, 2006, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
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