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  • The Cardboard Show

    Monmouth University, in conjunction with Parlor Gallery is thrilled to kick off the year with a captivating art exhibition that transcends traditional boundaries. Prepare to immerse yourself in a world of limitless imagination at the much-anticipated Cardboard Show, an extraordinary celebration of free-form and experimental creativity.

    The Cardboard Show is the result: a collection of large-scale sculptures and forms in three distinct voices, united by medium, friendship, and a commitment to a playful approach to creating art for its own sake. These three artists sequestered themselves in Parlor Gallery last January and opened the doors to the public a month later to share their fantastical and unique cardboard creations in an immersive type of presentation. For the continuation of this project, the artists will follow the same practice of collaborating in the same space at the same time, building these wonderous creations on site starting January 16th, 2024, and will continue to construct and design the exhibition until the opening night on February 9th, 2024.

    Demo and Meet & Greet:
    Thursday, March 21st. Demo from 3-4 and continuation of the Meet & Greet from 4 – 6.

    Opening Night Reception: Friday, February 9th from 6-9pm. In addition to the opening reception, there will also be an artist meet & greet and informal artist talk during the exhibition.

    Unveiling the Magic:
    The Cardboard Show is a testament to the power of collaboration. Three visionary artists—Porkchop, Bradley Hoffer, and Jason Stumpf—invite you to witness the evolution of their fantastical creations. Having sequestered themselves in Parlor Gallery last January, the artists opened their doors to the public a month later, sharing the enchantment of their unique cardboard world.

    Creating Wonders in Real-Time:
    As part of the ongoing project, these artists will once again unite under one roof, infusing life into their cardboard wonders starting January 16th, 2024. Witness the magic unfold as they construct and design this extraordinary exhibition, culminating in the grand opening on February 9th, 2024. Join us on a journey where art transcends boundaries, fueled by the collaborative spirit of three local artists and friends. In addition to the cardboard sculptures, each artist will also be exhibiting a selection of each of their respective work.

    About the Artists:

    Bradley Hoffer is a multi-disciplinary artist, designer, carpenter, and maker of original and preconceived concepts. Living and working most of his life in NJ; he received a BFA in sculpture from Mason Gross school of Visual Art at Rutgers. Bradley’s distinct style/work is recognizable using continuous line along with a balance of colors. For this show at Monmouth University, he is exploring a new complex level of layers in three dimensions. Cardboard is the medium that is being used to accomplish the new sculptures. Bradley is also revealing a collection of paintings that have been in the works for the past 6 years.

    Jason Stumpf is multidisciplinary artist based in Asbury Park, NJ. A woodworker for over 30 years, his work ranges from sculpture and furniture to cabinetry and wooden boats. His work is influenced by a fascination with structure, minimalism, and materiality.  Jason furniture designs often take inspiration from archaic forms and techniques. Those influences are expressed through a minimalist, modern design ethos. His sculptures stretch that practical design aesthetic into abstracted forms and ideas.

    Porkchop is a multi-disciplinary artist from New Jersey. He has an MFA in Sculpture from VCU and a BFA in Fine Arts from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Porkchop has established a great presence through his magnificently scaled murals, including the extensively documented scenes he composed along the Asbury Park Boardwalk in conversation with the sea. Narrative is a prevalent theme in his work. Denizens and visitors to Monmouth County have been enjoying Porkchop’s vibrant and colorful artwork and murals for years, but in most recent manifestation, the artist strips his works of his normally vivid palette and instead employs intentionally ritualistic and graphic monochromatic designs and symbols accented with Gold. Influenced by ancient history, mythology, religion and literature, the artist Porkchop sources out, manipulates, and casts familiar objects. He then painstakingly recreates their surfaces giving them a new existence into a dark and curious storyline. The application of paint into his intentional ritualistic designs followed by flawless coats of glossy resin is an act of pure precision and care, like the work of a surgeon or mortician. There are often unexpected but pleasant marriages of imagery and object. By stripping these pieces of his usual vibrant palette, Porkchop’s choice of black & white emphasizes the narrative in the works, which becomes difficult to ignore. Presenting these pieces in symmetry creates an alter that pulls the stories altogether.

  • Blue Hawk Boardwalk Jam

    Monmouth University and Blue Hawk Records will be hosting Light Of Day’s benefit concert on January 18th at The Break in Asbury Park at 8:00 PM.

    This event is part of the annual Light Of Day’s WinterFest concert events that raise money and awareness for the foundation’s cause, Parkinson’s disease and related illnesses like ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), and the fight for a cure.

    The foundation has raised over $5.75 million since 2000, holding these annual concerts, which started in Asbury Park. Past performers have included Bruce Springsteen, Michael J. Fox, John Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls, as well as local NJ artists.

    This year’s lineup consists of Monmouth artists, Amani Lillian, Abby Garcia, Samantha Spano, and White Wing; The Blue Hawk House Band, and local Asbury Park band, Wavez.

    The event is also being hosted by Monmouth’s very own Professor Joe Rapolla, Chair of the Music & Theatre Arts Department, and alumnus, Zack Sandler.

    More info at: https://www.bluehawkrecords.com/blog/bhr-to-host-light-of-day-benefit-concert 

  • Nye

    a new play by Tim Price
    directed by Rufus Norris

    Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state.

    From campaigning at the coalfield to leading the battle to create the National Health Service, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan is often referred to as the politician with greatest influence over the UK without ever being Prime Minister.

    Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill.

    Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), this epic new Welsh fantasia will be filmed live at the National Theatre in London.

  • The Motive and the Cue

    a new play by Jack Thorne
    directed by Sam Mendes

    Sam Mendes (The Lehman Trilogy) directs Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud and Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton in this fierce and funny new play.

    1964: Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new Broadway production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.

    Written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and designed by Es Devlin (The Crucible), the Evening Standard award-winning best new play was filmed live during a sold-out run at the National Theatre.

  • Dear England

    a new play by James Graham
    directed by Rupert Goold

    Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) plays Gareth Southgate in James Graham’s (Sherwood) gripping examination of nation and game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t England’s men win at their own game? With the worst track record for penalties in the world, Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take team and country back to the promised land.

    Filmed live on stage at the National Theatre, Rupert Goold (Judy) directs this spectacular new play.

  • Joan Osborne + Crash Test Dummies

    Two incredible artists, each performing their own set! Since she broke through over 25 years ago with the multi-platinum Relish and its touchstone mega-smash “One of Us,” Joan Osborne the seven-time Grammy nominee has never played it safe. Osborne has followed her restless musical heart, exploring a diverse range of genres: pop rock, soul, R&B, blues, roots rock, gospel, funk, and country – all of which can be heard on her latest album Trouble and Strife, along with the Western side of C&W and a touch of glam and disco. “For a lot of the record, we were going for a ‘70s AM radio vibe,” says Osborne. As for the lyrics, the songs “are the most political I’ve ever written,” she conveys of her first album of originals since 2014’s confessional Love and Hate. Osborne also produced Trouble and Strife, primarily recorded in her basement studio in Brooklyn and released on the label she founded in 1991, Womanly Hips. 

    In 2018, 25 years after the release of their multi-Grammy nominated hit album “God Shuffled His Feet”, The Crash Test Dummies hit the road for the first 8me in 20 years with an Anniversary Tour that spanned North America. The overwhelming recep8on led to a 30th Anniversary Tour in 2022 for their debut release “The Ghosts That Haunt Me” that touched down in the US, UK, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Canada. And the band is showing no signs of slowing down . . .

    “Touring again was not something we’d planned on, but surprisingly – at least to me – there are lots of people who many years later, s8ll want to come and hear us. The folks that are coming out to see these shows tell us their stories, some of them very funny, some very dark and all very personal. It’s very humbling, being in the confidence of so many people” says lead singer-songwriter Brad Roberts, “and it has inspired us to con8nue to tour and make music.”

    Early 2023 will see the release a new, original Crash Test Dummies single “Sacred Alphabet“ as they again hit the road in North America and Europe.

     

  • From Birmingham To Botswana

    Experience Gwen Moten’s powerful one-woman play presented by Dunbar Repertory Company. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Birmingham Church bombing during the Civil Rights Movement, Moten weaves captivating storytelling and exceptional singing, sharing her personal connections to the event. Exploring the historical context of social movements and drawing parallels from her travels in apartheid-era South Africa and East Berlin, Moten’s performance delivers an unforgettable journey through history and international perspectives.

  • Metamorphosis: Portraits of Song

    Experience an extraordinary evening where art and music intertwine in a one-night-only concert featuring the brightest female singer-songwriters of the Jersey Shore, drawing inspiration from the captivating artworks of Nanci France-Vaz. Christine Elise, Pam McCoy, Mary McCrink, Laura Johnson, and Genevieve are among those featured in Vaz’s narrative figure paintings on exhibition this spring in the Pollak Gallery. These talented artists step out of the canvases to perform live in an evening celebrating female artistry and inspiration.

    This concert is in conjunction with the opening reception for the gallery exhibition Metamorphosis: Works by Nanci France-Vaz on April 26 from 6-8 pm. The opening reception is FREE to the public, however tickets are required to attend the concert.

  • Metamorphosis: Works by Nanci France-Vaz

    Metamorphosis: Life is all about transitions from one time in life to another. Artists of any art from have dreams of becoming a master in their genre, successful in their career, and recognized to the masses. The models in the paintings are artists in music, art, and performing art  based on a moment in their life or a narrative Nanci has created from film, literature or poetry. Figurative storytelling is infused with light, patterns, and human presence to that have visual impact and make the viewers ponder over the meaning and left to their interpretations. France-Vaz is known for her Imaginative Portraits that render allegorical symbols combined with story and imagination. Most of the work is of female artists that never give up hope or their dreams of becoming a reality.

    Artist Demo: March 9 from 3-6
    There will be a live demo of The Imaginative Portrait with Pam McCoy. Click here to RSVP to the FREE DEMO

    Artist Reception:     April 26 from 6 -8 PM

    This exhibition is in conjunction with the concert Metamorphosis: Portraits of Song on April 26 at 8 pm. The opening reception is FREE to the public, however tickets are required to attend the concert.

    Bio:

    Nanci France-Vaz is a modern renaissance artist that uses allegorical symbolism to create visual stories on canvas. France-Vaz draws inspiration from the Pre-Raphaelite and Naturalist periods of art, poetry, and classic literature, and film. She combines her strong foundation in life painting with imaginative backgrounds fusing classical with contemporary realism.

    The artist was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to the UWS in Manhattan in 2002 to study portrait and figurative art. She was the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship Award and earned a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 3D Computer Animation for Film and Special Effects.

    France-Vaz has exhibited at the Dacia Gallery NYC, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Modern European Art for ModPortrait and first round of Figurativas,  Abend Gallery, Principle Gallery, Lovetts Gallery, Eisele Gallery, Butler Insitute of Fine Art, National Arts Club NYC, and Salmagundi Club NYC. She has had 3 solo shows. Her solo exhibit at DaciaGallery, NYC will be in October 2023 dates TBA.

    Nanci France-Vaz has won  of many notable awards nationally. She is the recipient of the ARC Salon Purchase Award in Imaginative Realism for the 16th Annual ARC Salon, Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Honorable Mention, Best in Show Wausau Museum, 2nd Place Southwest Art Artistic Excellence, Len G Everett Memorial Award, Joseph Hartley Memorial Award, John Collins Award, Colonel George J Morales Award, PSOA 3rd Place , ARC Salon, International Artists People & Figures 2021, and Best in Show Portrait Award, Petite Gallery.

    The concepts of her works are based on a moment in time, classical literature, film, and poetry, introducing a modern subject or twist to her story. Her intent is to combine hope, spiritual beliefs, and the human condition. Most of her models are professional musicians, artists, actors, and dancers.  The spiritual, the mystical, and the mythical have underlying tones and meanings left for the beholder to ponder and engage psychologically. Having studied film and Stanislavski Method Acting allows for a spiritual connection to her subjects expressing emotion and mood. Her study of lighting and movement, through acting, dance, and theater is the catalyst for creating a still image from a cinematic process.  France-Vaz’s patterns of life express a life experience or moment of thought in time.

    France-Vaz has been published in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, ModPortrait 2020/2021,  American Art Collector, Southwest Art Magazine, , ARC Salon, International Artists, Realism Today, and Leonardo Guide Artelibre 2021,

    Her paintings and commissions hang in private collections.

  • The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night: A Retrospective

    Class Schedule: April 30 and May 2 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    This summer marks 60 years since the release of the Beatles’ first and best feature film, A Hard Day’s Night. Through interview clips, video and pictures, this 2-session virtual course taught by Scott McLaren will chronicle the Beatles’ rise to success in their hometown of Liverpool, the explosion of Beatlemania across Britain in 1963, their subsequent conquering of the US in early 1964, all leading to their critically acclaimed first film and soundtrack. We’ll see clips from those who were involved in the film including United Artists executives, the film Producer, Director, the Beatles and others within their inner circle. Lastly, we’ll discuss and listen to song excerpts from the exclusively Lennon-McCartney soundtrack. As most things Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night remains infectious, lasting and fun.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.