Press Releases - Exhibits
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Royal Roots Revisited: Saluting the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau
Opening August 1, 2009 at Vander Ende-Onderdonk House in Ridgewood, New York
Honoring people and events in the Dutch royal family’s history has a long tradition in the Netherlands. In 1609, Henry Hudson sailed up the waterway that would eventually bear his name. The explorer called it “de Maurits Rivier” after the reigning prince of Orange-Nassau. Maurits (r. 1584-1625) was the successor of William the Silent (r. 1579-1584), founder of the Dutch royal house. Members of his dynasty have played an important role in Holland’s affairs of state since before the establishment of New Amsterdam in 1625.
Royal Roots Revisited: Saluting the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau links the present monarchy to the founding sovereigns of the Dutch Republic. The objects on display mark important anniversaries, such as the birth of William the Silent (1533), the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1813) and milestones in Dutch rulers’ lives. Exhibited works include:
- rare coins and vessels dating from the founding of New Amsterdam to the reign of Queen Beatrix (r. 1980-present);
a 14-piece silver spoon set from 1933 (the 400th anniversary of William the Silent’s birth); and an exquisite plate made for the Netherlands Aid Society that commemorates the birth-in-exile of Princess Margriet in 1942.
The special bond between the Dutch royals and New York is highlighted in archival photographs that document past monarchs’ visits to the Empire State, among them Princess Beatrix’s 1959 trip to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Hudson’s historic voyage. The exhibition coincides with the September 2009 visit to New York of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima for the 400th commemoration of Henry Hudson’s arrival in the New World.
Curator Matthew Jensen has been ably assisted by Arthur Kirmss, Ellen Brody-Kirmss, Meghan Harkins, John Ogren and Stan Parchin.
Royal Roots Revisited: Saluting the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau is on view from August 1 through mid-November 2009 at the newly decorated Vander Ende-Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue in Ridgewood, Queens, New York (718) 456-1776. Open Saturdays 1:00-5:00 PM and by appointment. Suggested donation is $3.00.
The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Dutch farmers built the house around 1709. The property remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s. Thereafter, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the structure as a historic site and museum.
Reaching the Onderdonk House by public transportation is easy. Bus Q-54 stops two blocks from the landmark building at the intersection of Metropolitan and Flushing Avenues. Bus B-57 passes the historic house on Flushing Avenue. “L” subway line to Jefferson Street (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks north along Flushing Avenue. On-street parking is plentiful and free-of-charge.
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Past Exhibits
“De Boerderij” Art Exhibit Closing Party and Sale at the Onderdonk House
On Saturday, October 13, 2007, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society will host a closing party and sale of artwork from De Boerderij, its current exhibit of sculpture and paintings assembled by guest curators Brenda Bradley and Mark Mulholland in collaboration with Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss of the Onderdonk House.
Titled after the Dutch word for farm, De Boerderij was inspired by agrarian life, and features the work of more than a dozen artists including 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.
According to Ms Bradley, “Many of the participating artists visited the Onderdonk House for the first time during the past year and, like me, were inspired by its charm, history, age and endurance. We decided to extend the exhibit beyond just the interior of the house to include sculpture placed in the garden in celebration of the existence and survival of this oasis of green space and history that has survived in such an unlikely place.”
The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Dutch farmers built the house around 1709, and it remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s, when the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the Onderdonk House as a historic site and museum.
The Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, is open to the public on Saturdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. or by reservation. Admission to the exhibit is free with a $2.00 suggested donation to the Society that includes a Visitor's Guide.
For information on this and the other programs conducted by the Society, please call 718-456-1776 or visit our Web site: www.onderdonkhouse.org. The Onderdonk House can be reached by public transportation. Bus: Q-54 passes two blocks away on Metropolitan Avenue. B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. Subway: "L" line to Jefferson St. (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Ave. On street parking is available, plentiful and free.
This event is funded in part from public service grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of New York, and by members of the Society.
“De Boerderij” Art Exhibit Opening at the Onderdonk House
On Saturday, June 30, 2007, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society will open De Boerderij, an exhibit of sculpture and paintings assembled by guest curators Brenda Bradley and Mark Mulholland in collaboration with Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss of the Onderdonk House.
Titled after the Dutch word for farm, De Boerderij was inspired by agrarian life and features the work of more than a dozen artists including 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, Rosario Varela, Fotini Vurgaropulou and Brett Wintle. The opening reception will also be on Saturday, June 30, 2007, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and the exhibit will continue through September 2007.
According to Ms Bradley, “Many of the participating artists visited the Onderdonk House for the first time during the past year and, like me, were inspired by its charm, history, age and endurance. We decided to extend the exhibit beyond just the interior of the house to include sculpture placed in the garden in celebration of the existence and survival of this oasis of green space and history that has survived in such an unlikely place.”
The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Dutch farmers built the house around 1709, and it remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s, when the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the Onderdonk House as a historic site and museum.
The Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, is open to the public on Saturdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. or by reservation. Admission to the exhibit is free with a $2.00 suggested donation to the Society that includes a Visitor's Guide.
For information on this and the other programs conducted by the Society, please call 718-456-1776 or visit our Web site: www.onderdonkhouse.org. The Onderdonk House can be reached by public transportation. Bus: Q-54 passes two blocks away on Metropolitan Avenue. B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. Subway: "L" line to Jefferson St. (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Ave. On street parking is available, plentiful and free.
This event is funded in part from public service grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of New York, and by members of the Society.
END
“Just after the Battle” Civil War Exhibit Opens at the Onderdonk House 
On Saturday, February 17, 2007, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society will open Just after the Battle, an exhibit of Civil War historic objects curated by Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss. 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. The opening reception will also be on Saturday, February 17, 2007, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and the exhibit will continue through June 2007.
According to Mr. Kirmss, “This exhibit portrays American culture of that era, and the sentiments of that age. We introduce you to some of the individuals representing the wide variety of ethnic groups and peoples that served to fight in the Civil War and you come to understand their lives through their books, music, pipes, and bottles, as well as official papers and war records. Just after the Battle is a kaleidoscopic view of the life and times of the military and civilian population, with the things that they used and passed down to our 21st century for us to see, enjoy, and take inspiration from.”
The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places . Dutch farmers built the house around 1709, and it remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s, when the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the Onderdonk House as a historic site and museum. 
The Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, is open to the public on Saturdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. or by reservation. Admission to the exhibit is free with a $2.00 suggested donation to the Society that includes a Visitor's Guide.
For information on this and the other programs conducted by the Society, please call 718-456-1776 or visit our Web site: www.onderdonkhouse.org. The Onderdonk House can be reached by public transportation. Bus: Q-54 passes two blocks away on Metropolitan Avenue. B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. Subway: "L" line to Jefferson St. (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Ave. On street parking is available, plentiful and free.
These programs are made possible in part by public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs secured through the efforts of the Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall, the New York City Council, Diana Reyna, and by State Senator Serphin Maltese, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, and by members of the Society.
END
"Vernederlandsen: An Assimilated Anatomy" Exhibit Opens at the Onderdonk House
Ridgewood, September 2006 -- On Sunday, October 1, 2006, the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society will open "Vernederlandsen: An Assimilated Anatomy," an exhibit of diorama drawings by artist Denise Martinez. Martinez explores vernederlandsen, a Dutch concept which takes cultural integration to deeper levels. Using flat surfaces, her three-dimensional works reference historical paintings and integrate anatomical interpretations to examine issues of migration, globalization and cultural assimilation.
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 "old" Amsterdam in The Netherlands. She became fluent in the Dutch language, and learned the history and cultural traditions of her adopted home. Despite this, Martinez considers herself one of a growing number in an emerging culture of globalization that ushers in a new dimension of acculturation.
The opening reception will also be on Sunday, October 1, 2006, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Ms. Martinez will be available to discuss her work. The exhibit was co-curated by Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody-Kirmss, and will continue through November 19, 2006. It is part of a city-wide cultural event called “5 Dutch Days 5 Boroughs” that will take place from November 15-19, 2006. The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places . Dutch farmers built the house around 1709, and it remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s, when the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the Onderdonk House as a historic site and museum.
The Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, is open to the public on Saturdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. or by reservation. Admission to the exhibit is free with a $2.00 suggested donation to the Society that includes a Visitor's Guide.
For information on this and the other programs conducted by the Society, please call 718-456-1776 or visit our Web site: www.onderdonkhouse.org. The Onderdonk House can be reached by public transportation. Bus: Q-54 passes two blocks away on Metropolitan Avenue. B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. Subway: "L" line to Jefferson St. (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Ave. On street parking is available, plentiful and free.
These programs are made possible in part by public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs secured through the efforts of the Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall, Diana Reyna, and by State Senator Serphin Maltese, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, and by members of the Society.
END
"An American Mosaic" Exhibit Celebration at the Onderdonk House
On Sunday, June 26, 2005, from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m., the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society will have a celebration for its current exhibit entitled, "An American Mosaic, the Frontier Crafts of Dr. Jake Pontillo." "An American Mosaic" is a colorful collection of objects made by Dr. Pontillo over a thirty year period. The exhibit includes masterful examples of finger weaving, quill, bead and silver work, and antique gun building -- all inspired by his interest in the early American experience. Dr. Pontillo will be on hand to discuss his work. The exhibit was co-curated by Arthur Kirmss and Ellen Brody Kirmss, and will continue through Summer 2005.
Dr. Pontillo's bead and silver work has been acquired by many collectors throughout the Northeast, and Midwest. He is also one of the very few who practice porcupine quill embroidery, an art rarely seen outside of museums. His quillwork has been prized by many 18th Century French and Indian War enthusiasts as well as other collectors. In addition to demonstrating beadwork, quillwork and finger weaving at museums and historic sites, Dr. Pontillo also has lectured on the material culture of the colonial period. He has a BA in Spanish and Education from Fordham University, and a MA and Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
The Onderdonk House is a New York City Landmark, and is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places . Dutch farmers built the house around 1709, and it remained a farmstead through the 1920s. Commercial business took over until the 1970s, when the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society was founded to restore, maintain and operate the Onderdonk House as a historic site and museum.
The Onderdonk House, 1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, is open to the public on Saturdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. or by reservation. Admission to the exhibit is free with a $2.00 suggested donation to the Society that includes a Visitor's Guide.
For information on this and the other programs conducted by the Society, please call 718-456-1776 or visit our Web site: www.onderdonkhouse.org. The Onderdonk House can be reached by public transportation. Bus: Q-54 passes two blocks away on Metropolitan Avenue. B-57 passes the house on Flushing Avenue. Subway: "L" line to Jefferson St. (Brooklyn) stop; proceed five blocks North (right) along Flushing Ave. On street parking is available, plentiful and free.
These programs are made possible in part by public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs secured through the efforts of the Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall, Diana Reyna, and by State Senator Serphin Maltese, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, and by members of the Society.
END