Several years ago, there was a room in my house that served as an art gallery. We had openings and parties; life was good.Then, something happened: couches started creeping in and little armies of toys invaded and the sensitive works fled to hideaways in closets and the basement.
The causes and crimes of the invasion were recently reviewed and it was determined that the artwork was indeed entitled to its own, independent space. So a peace-keeping wall was put up, with a built-in bookcase and an open book shelf top.
The room is now two-thirds sitting room and one-third micro-gallery. Though the space is small, the spirit is larger than ever.
Saturday, at 6:00 pm on July 24th will mark the reopening of the 209 South Broad Street Gallery, with the delightful show "His Girlfriend is Wack!".The show is a playful collection of small notebook drawings by Malgrue (Malgosia Grue, pictured right). Malgrue came to the United States from Poland in 1989 after studying the History of Western Art at the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw. Her interests in actually creating art started upon her arrival to California, where she first set up a kiln studio and later took to drawing.
Malgrue's most common style includes soft pastel drawings of organic shapes and faces. I felt there was something too airbrushed and Eastern European about them, which is why we arranged for a studio visit yesterday so I could review her other work. Almost immediately this show revealed itself when she showed me a series of lined notebook drawings. They were so fresh and fun and international looking I could not resist.
The title and work of "His Girlfriend is Wack!" was inspired by an exclamation made by Malgrue's husband after he returned from talking to a friend one evening, a few months ago. Everything about the drawings...the size, the playfulness...is perfect for the new space and has set the tone for shows to come.
Save the date:
"His Girlfriend is Wack!"Saturday, July 24, 2010
6-8 pm
209 South Broad Street Gallery
Ridgewood, NJ
Join us for wine and cheese and art...