On Friday, April 27, the Staten Island Museum will unveil Cynthia von Buhler: Show & Tell. The exhibit will run from April 26, 2007 – June 17, 2007, Extended until September 23, 2007 due to popular demand. The surreal three-dimensional works blend Renaissance inspired portraiture and messianic figures with natural objects. Cynthia von Buhler’s enigmatic paintings impart their meaning through symbol, design, and narrative. In von Buhler’s art, butterflies, snakes, birds, and plants are set into cages, boxes, and peepholes to serve as metaphors for the human condition. The layered gouache paintings and their sculptural, performance, and audio accoutrements are at once poignant and mischievous. Show and Tell is akin to a trip down an ornate rabbit hole. Also on exhibit will be sculpture characters in dollhouse dioramas from von Buhler's recently released children's book The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). The museum is easily accessible from Manhattan via the Staten Island ferry which is a free twenty-minute ride, and lands across the street from the museum. An exhibition catalog will be available. Books are available for sale in the museum gift shop. Opening Reception: Friday, April 27th, 6PM - 8PM.
May 6, 2007: Cynthia von Buhler Artist’s Talk will be held on Sunday, May 6th at 2:00 p.m. Von Buhler’s Renaissance inspired portraits hold hidden secrets, butterflies, snakes, and birds---while cages and peepholes serve as mischievous metaphors. The Artist’s Talk is part of the Artists/Ideas Series: Supported by JP Morgan Chase.
May 19, 2007: The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside Family Workshop and Book Signing with Artist and author Cynthia von Buhler will be held on Saturday, May 19th at 2:00 p.m. Participants will meet the artist and find out how she created her new book with dollhouse charm and a message about patience and giving. A cat figurine workshop for children is included in the program. Admission is $2 per child. Signed books will be available for sale at the event.
August 11, 2007: Cynthia von Buhler Artist’s Talk will be held on Saturday, August 11th at 1:00 p.m. Von Buhler’s Renaissance inspired portraits hold hidden secrets, butterflies, snakes, and birds---while cages and peepholes serve as mischievous metaphors. The Artist’s Talk is part of the Artists/Ideas Series: Supported by JP Morgan Chase. Free with museum admission.
August 25, 2007: The Cat Who Wouldn’t Come Inside Family Workshop and Book Signing with Artist and author Cynthia von Buhler will be held on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m. Participants will meet the artist and find out how she created her new book with dollhouse charm and a message about patience and giving. A cat figurine workshop for children is included in the program. Admission is $5 per child. Admission is free for children under 12. Copies of the book will be available for sale at this event.
Read the museum press release and view close-up details of some of the paintings HERE e event.
If you are coming from Manhattan you can take the ferry from lower Manhattan to the island. It is a lovely 1/2 hour ride with outstanding views. Take the 1, R, W, 4, or 5 train to South Ferry. (If you take the 1 train make sure that you are in one of the first 5 subway cars). The museum is across the street from the ferry terminal.
The Staten Island Museum. 75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, New York City, 718-727-1135
Hours: Tuesdays - Fridays from 9AM to 5PM, Saturday 10AM - 5PM, Sunday 12PM- 5PM
