Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, the Jersey City Municipal Council, the Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs in conjunction with Pro Arts are proud to present a “Between Worlds,” a group exhibition by Curious Matter as part of the 18th Annual Jersey City Artists Studio Tour, which will be held citywide Oct. 4 and 5 and is sponsored in part by the Hudson Reporter newspaper group.
The Jersey City Artists Studio Tour is one of the East Coast’s most prominent annual art events, drawing upwards of 10,000 visitors. The tour includes hundreds of artists, dozens of exhibitions, galleries, museums, live music and performances, food, drink and parties – all located just five minutes from Manhattan.
Curious Matter is pleased to announce a group exhibition featuring 26 artists who have assembled to explore the strange and mysterious realms that inspire legends, rumors and fear.
The show runs from Sept. 14 – Oct. 19. A special artists’ reception will be held on Sunday, Oct. 5 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Among the artists are: Ali Aschman, Yiftach Belsky, Ryan Browning, Arthur Bruso, Peter H. Everett, Amy Finkelstein, Maureen Foster, Ronald Gonzalez, Michael Heroux, Yvonne Kleiman, Sebastian Lemm, Ross Bennett Lewis, Marianne McCarthy, Joan Mellon, Richard Metz, Raymond E. Mingst, Jeanne Mischo, Matt Pych, Carol Radsprecher, Brooke Rogers, Anthony Santella, Lisa Taliano, Kikuko Tanaka, Jamie Marie Waelchli, Alyssa Taylor Wendt, and John J. Zirkelbach.
Ultimately, the adventure of the journey lies not in the straight and narrow or the tried and true. The adventure lies in deviating from those paths and facing the fears that lurk in the shadows. The crossroads is a place of choices and the fate inherent in those choices. Artist Alyssa Taylor Wendt clues us into who may be following as we travel along. Red Riding Hood had to face consequences for exploring and talking to strangers, but this time our heroine may be protected with a charm, and avoid a corrupting fate.
Brooke Rogers’ pilgrim also symbolizes the adventures of the journey; the physical journey of life or the interior journey of the soul. Marianne McCarthy alludes that some places would be better avoided. Sebastian Lemm gives us a glimpse of the other side of the gleaming city, the Oz or the humbug that entices or fools us when we reach our destination.
The wasteland beyond the hedge that separates the wild from the tamed is also a place of superstition. Maureen Foster gives us a peek through the topiary at the savagery crouched behind what we believe is tame. Kikuko Tanaka proffers a beastly scene that may entice or repulse, but will not let us avert our eyes, despite parental warnings. Yiftach Belsky cautions that malicious forces can be monitoring us as we continue on our way unaware. The threshold is the division between the haven of our home and the dangers of the great outside world. It is in our best interests to protect this most vulnerable spot from the insanity Richard Metz imagines lying in wait. Anthony Santella enshrines a malocchio which protects the home by reflecting evil back onto itself, confusing it so that it can be conquered and expunged before becoming a true threat.
Some of the artists in this exhibition take a more pragmatic approach to the theme. Yvonne Kleiman builds up layers of pigment, then scratches and gouges through to expose glimpses of what’s underneath. Joan Mellon contemplates dual universes with her juxtaposed blocks of color. Jamie Marie Waelchli attempts to makes sense of the chaotic, untidy world we live in by creating maps and diagrams to keep things in order. Like lifting a veil, we get to see parts of her whole, but the lowered veil only reveals a hazy view of the entirety. This inability to ever actually see in sharp focus what is going on makes the mystery of the piece its subject.
Ultimately, the adventure of the journey lies not in the straight and narrow or the tried and true. The adventure lies in deviating from those paths and facing the fears that lurk in the shadows. Each of the artists in Between Worlds has cut their own path and in exploring the mysterious places in between has been given and shares their gift of growth and understanding.
Curious Matter, founded by artists for artists, is an exhibition venue for contemporary visual art located in downtown Jersey City. Curious Matter strives to foster dialogue among artists at all career stages with a calendar of regular exhibitions. Their commitment extends to the audience as they endeavor to open a door to appreciating contemporary art in an atmosphere that encourages engagement and curiosity.
The exhibit, Between Worlds, is on display at Curious Matter from Sept. 14 to Oct. 19, and is open Sundays 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. or by appointment. The gallery is located at 272 Fifth St. in Jersey City, N.J. For more information, call (201) 659-5771.
For more information about the Jersey City Artists Studio Tour, please contact the Division of Cultural Affairs at 201-547-6921.