RAHWAY, NJ — Mayor Raymond Giacobbe and the Rahway City Council present a Gallery Space Pop-Up program, Between Extremes: An Exhibit of Black & White Artworks. The exhibit will run from Sunday, May 5, to Friday, May 31, at The Rahway Senior Center, 1306 Esterbrook Ave., Rahway. The grand opening reception will take place Sunday, May 5, from 1 to 4 p.m., and admission is free to the public.
This exhibit will coincide with NJ Arts & Music Express, a collaborative arts program presented by Rahway, Avenel and Woodbridge. As part of the event, there will be a preview exhibit opening on Saturday, May 4, from noon to 3 p.m.
The inspiration for the event speaks to the long history of civilization’s reliance on black and white contrast. Since ancient times, early drawings utilized charcoal or black ink. Many prints use just black ink and allow the white of the paper upon which the print is transferred to serve as ‘lights’ of white. In turn, humanity experienced black and white photography well before the advent of color photography. As such, this exhibit seeks to highlight the depth, simplicity and history of black and white art forms.
“Color is one of the main means through which artists create artwork. Yet a great deal of artwork, both traditional and contemporary, is created using only black and white pigments,” said Rahway Assistant Administrator of Cultural and Heritage Affairs Lawrence Cappiello. “The reduction of elements in artwork to simple black and white often produces works of graphic power, simplicity, austerity and a feeling of timelessness.”
The exhibit will include linocuts, etchings, traditional and non-traditional drawings, alternative materials and photography. Featured artists include Jacki Dickert, Gary Godbee, Kayt Hester, Tenjin Ikeda, Patti Jordan, Cintia Malhotra, Len Merlo and Jay Seldin.
There will be regular gallery hours during exhibit dates, from Monday through Friday, between 1 and 4 pm.
About the artists
• Jacki Dickert is a local photographer. Although she primarily works with color, she will feature black and white photographs, such as nighttime scenes, that use deep blacks and strong bright whites to create impact and drama.
• Gary Godbee is a Union County painter who primarily creates stunning landscapes showing an immense sense of depth. His drawings tend to be portrait studies employing charcoal and white chalk on toned papers.
• Kayt Hester produces detailed pictures using torn pieces of black tape.
• Tenjin Ikeda is a printmaker whose linoleum cut prints are filled with precise textures, tones and design elements.
• Patti Jordan creates drawings using ink that she squee-gees across her paper using a ruler to produce unique abstractions of black and white.
• Cintia Malhotra teaches graphic design but often utilizes photography in her personal artwork. She focuses on shadows and overlay of images to create mysterious images in black and white.
• Len Merlo is a maker of a variety of prints including etchings, monoprints and linocuts. He often uses non-toxic printmaking techniques, which he teaches classes at New Jersey’s Frontline Arts.
• Jay Seldin is a notable New Jersey photographer whose black and white prints are of sights he has encountered all around the United States and other countries.
For information on the Gallery Space, contact Lawrence Cappiello at [email protected] or call 732-669-3600.