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Our Current Exhibit
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.
Past Exhibits
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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