Jersey City may be in the winter doldrums, but the local art scene is heating up with all kinds of events, many of them sponsored by Pro Arts, the non-profit group dedicated to promoting the visual arts and the advancement of the rights, welfare and economic well-being of professional artists.
LANGUAGE(S), mixed-media oil paintings by Greg Letson, will be on view at Windows On Columbus, located at Columbus Drive between Washington and Greene streets, and at the Lobby on Greene Street, located at 135 Greene St. off Columbus Drive in Jersey City. The exhibit is free and open to the public 24/7 through Feb. 18, 2011.
Greg Letson is an artist, film-maker and musician. His works have included painting, sculpture, sound installation, musical composition and performance. Greg earned a B.S. in film from Boston University, and has performed with musical ensembles including Hugo Largo and The Glenn Branca Ensemble.
Additionally, Greg is a professional, award-winning film and video editor, based in New York City. The work selected for this installation spans seven years of Letson’s exploration of the aesthetic vocabulary representing various juxtaposed systems of signs, codes and thought systems. The exhibition is curated by Jaz Graf. For information, contact mail@gregletson.com.
New Jersey City University Galleries Presents: FLESH ART, Jan. 24 – March 4 with an artist’s reception Jan. 27 from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. “FLESH ART” is an exhibition simultaneously presented within both the Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery and Visual Arts Gallery, and will feature work by a dozen artists that employ flesh as subject-matter and demonstrate the realm of possibilities in negotiating figuration and abstraction. Curated by NJCU art historian, Dr. José Rodeiro, this multimedia exhibition explores how selected artists delve into the meaning and implications of flesh on many levels through painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and video.
This unique exhibition will feature three never before seen paintings by renowned painter Joan Semmel, who, since the early-1970s, has created innovative flesh-based paintings and is considered a pivotal figure in Flesh Art.
Also featured are NJCU’s eminent retired professor Ben Jones, who is a prominent figure in African-American art and NJCU professor and acclaimed sculptor Herb Rosenberg.
The exhibition is greatly diversified, with original works by Rutgers professor and internationally active painter, Hanneline Røgeberg; strikingly visceral installation and multimedia works by Babs Reingold of Bayonne; intimate oil paintings by Jen Mazza of Brooklyn, N.Y.; cityscapes incorporating flesh in media by John Hardy of New York, N.Y.; video art by Giuseppe Satta of Italy; works by NJCU alumni Matthew Lahm, Williams Coronado, Sandra Silva and Olga Cruz.
The Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery is at 2039 Kennedy Blvd., Hepburn Hall, Room 323, and The Visual Arts Gallery is at 100 Culver Ave., both in Jersey City. The galleries are a half-block away from each other. The reception takes place in both. Gallery hours for both are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For other days and times, please contact them to schedule an appointment. For further information, please visit http://www.njcu.edu/dept/art/galleries/ or
contact Midori Yoshimoto, Gallery Director, at (201) 200-2197.
Jean-Paul Picard, Photographer, has been hired by the Hudson County Schools of Technology to teach digital photography for the Adult and Continuing Education Program. This 90 hour course will cover how to use the digital camera and learn the photographic skills and techniques that are used in portraiture, studio photography, photo-journalistic and fine art photography. Students will become literate in Adobe Photoshop on Apple Computer workstations, enabling them to transfer and work on their digital files to create works of art.
The course runs Monday and Wednesday nights from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 31 and lasting until May 18 at the Jersey City Center, Earl W. Byrd School, 525 Montgomery St., Jersey City. The cost is $299, payable by cash, money order, Discover, Visa or MasterCard only.
For more information call HCST at (201) 662-6792 or 6791.
The Art & Architecture of the Brennan Court House. Two evenings of discussion about the Beaux-Arts architecture and museum quality murals of the historic Justice Brennan Court House, with free parking and light refreshments, will be held on Feb. 3 and Feb. 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the
Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, 583 Newark St.,
Jersey City. Contact: Meredith Lippman at (201) 459-2070 or at mlippman@hcnj.us for more information.
Embankment Preservation Coalition Presents: A Winter Walk on the Highline. Interested in industrial architecture, urban design, land use, community organizing, neighborhood revitalization, or the economic impact of parks and development? Eager to see how we in Jersey City can learn from a successful New York City project? Or just hoping to enjoy a winter’s day with a good walk in good company? Whatever your motivation, join us on an informative tour of the High Line, our inspirational sister project across the Hudson, on Saturday, Jan. 22, from 12 to 2 p.m. (Sunday rain date, same time).
Allen Kratz, a historic preservationist with a special interest in transportation history, will take us on a “prepositional walk,” pointing out perspectives “under, at, on, from, and through” the High Line and the cityscape. Robert Hammond, co-founder of Friends of the High Line, will give a first-hand account of the conversion of this industrial structure to the stunning elevated park that is now one of New York City’s jewels.
After our explorations, the group will repair to Chelsea Market, the arcade of food and other shops beneath the High Line, for warmth and a hot beverage. Participants will then be free to take in the many attractions of the market or the Chelsea neighborhood and art scene.
Donation: $20 if reserved by January 15th. $25 thereafter. Participants limited to 25. Only 25 participants can be accommodated on this walk, so reserve a spot early by taking both of the following two steps:
1. Send an email to info@embankment.org; be sure to give your name and, most important, a telephone number at which you can be reached if plans change.
2. Send a check, made out to Embankment Preservation Coalition, to: Treasurer, Embankment Preservation Coalition, 263 Fifth St., Jersey City, N.J. 07302.
When they receive your reservation, they will send you more details and the specific meeting place (a 10-minute walk from the PATH).
Art House Productions’ 5th Annual SNOW BALL! On Saturday, Jan. 22 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Art House Productions presents its annual fundraising Snow Ball at Hamilton Square, 1 McWilliams Place, 6th floor (southeast corner of Hamilton Park, near Erie/8th St.) in Jersey City. The champagne gala will benefit Art House Productions’ landmark 10th season of arts programs.
Tickets are on sale now, $60 until Jan. 17 and $70 after Jan. 17, which will include light fare, live music (Gypsy jazz from Manouche Bag), a silent auction, and dance music from DJ George “Soul” Fernandez. The evening will honor Etta Rudolf Denk, senior vice president and N.J. Market Manager of Bank of America. Dress is “Black Tie Creative.”
For ticket sales and general event information, www.arthouseproductions.org. A portion of the ticket purchase will be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.