New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Cleverly Defiant Body of Work by Figurative Artist Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern Opens at Kean University

originally published: 09/08/2023


Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern, with Plush, after DaVinci, ©2020, Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern, oil on canvas, 46 x 38 in.

(UNION, NJ) -- The Galleries at Kean University features the works of Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern, an award-winning American figurative artist known for re-contextualizing art-historical images within a contemporary setting, with the exhibition RE: History Contemporary Takes. It is on view through December 8, 2023 at the Karl and Helen Burger Gallery on Kean’s Union campus.

An opening reception with the artist – free and open to the public – will be held at the gallery, located in the Center for Academic Success building, Thursday, September 14 at 5:30pm.

RE: History Contemporary Takes blends together new oil paintings, original works and a large-scale multimedia installation titled, The Robe of Resilience. Included is her feminist-themed, hand-silkscreened piece, 2022 Commemorative Brocade, that took over a year to complete – the longest period Ficarelli-Halpern ever spent on a single work of art.

“Ficarelli-Halpern is a vibrant artist with vision and resilience. She walks the viewer through history with her works on canvas and reflects the many challenges facing society, and women in particular, through her multimedia installation,” said Lynette A. Zimmerman, Ed.D., executive director of the Liberty Hall Academic Center and the Galleries.

The exhibition aligns with the Galleries at Kean's 2023-2024 artistic theme, art and wellness. Ficarelli-Halpern’s commitment to women’s health is a central theme to this exhibition.

Through her eyes, Ficarelli-Halpern sees the personages of the newly-created portraits as ageless entities. Her models and muses embody a timeless quality that translates further as they are presented within a classical environment. The work delivers the unique sensation of seeing something familiar in a new setting.

“I have somehow always approached understanding my own world and life by reflecting upon my past and trying to connect it to a present or future context. Looking back, I see that my visual vocabulary has evolved and portrays a decidedly feminine point of view. In the present, I am primarily known as a painter. And looking forward, I see myself creating new works across different media,” Ficarelli-Halpern said.

​​​​​​​

Carla, ©2023, Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern, oil on canvas, 40 x 32 in.

The New York-based artist’s work has been shown extensively in galleries and museums, including the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, the Zhou B. Art Center in Chicago, and the Noyes Museum, New Jersey State Museum, Monmouth Museum, and the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. She is a recipient of a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship for 2022. Her work has been featured in Fine Art ConnoisseurPoets and ArtistsFreshPaint and Studio Visit magazines.

RE: History Contemporary Takes is on display Monday-Friday, 10:00am-4:00pm, at the Karl and Helen Burger Gallery at Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey, through Friday, December 8, 2023. Visit galleries.kean.edu for more information.

Kean University, New Jersey’s urban research university, is a national institution of higher education recognized for its diversity, innovation, and the social mobility of its graduates. Founded in 1855 as a teachers’ college, Kean has evolved into a thriving research university that supports students as they persist to graduation, give back to their communities and launch successful careers. Kean’s six colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate programs, seven doctoral degree programs, and more than 70 options leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications, across a full range of academic subjects. With campuses in Union, Toms River, and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, as well as Kean Online, the University provides students of all backgrounds an affordable and accessible world-class education.

The Galleries at Kean hosts over a dozen exhibitions each academic year by professional artists, traveling exhibitions, faculty shows and student work across six galleries and one exhibition hall on Kean University’s main campus in Union, New Jersey. Known for its diverse array of artists and mediums, the Galleries' mission is to build awareness of critical global issues through the visual arts.




New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info




 

EVENT PREVIEWS

The

The Art House Gallery presents "Art Outside of Architecture" - a group exhibition featuring the Architects that designed The Hendrix

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions presents "Art Outside of Architecture," a group exhibition showcasing the work of the architects that designed The Hendrix building where Art House Productions resides. The exhibition will be on display at the Art House Gallery from July 5-27, 2025 and features twelve architects stepping out of the structural realm and into a world of personal expression in this dynamic group exhibition.



Geoffrey

Geoffrey Doig-Marx's "Portraits in Color and Light" opens at the Gallery at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey - A Fusion of Comedy and Heart

(MADISON, NJ) -- New York-based artist, educator, choreographer, and self-described "Renaissance Man" Geoffrey Doig-Marx (GDM) brings his dynamic exhibition Portraits in Color and Light to The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey as the second art installation in the Theatre's 2025 Season. This striking collection of twenty-six original paintings debuts with the Theatre's production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again], running July 9–27. It's a pairing that promises a bold celebration of irreverence, reflection, and artistic energy.



Ocean

Ocean County Library Toms River Branch presents Laurelton Art Society Exhibition

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Works by members of one of New Jersey's venerable art associations will be on display throughout the month of June in the Ocean County Library Toms River Branch. The Laurelton Art Society Exhibition will occupy the Second Floor Gallery, June 9 through July 29, 2025.



Union

Union County presents "Art of All Abilities Exhibit" in Celebration of Disability Pride Month

(ELIZABETH, NJ) -- July is Disability Pride Month, and in recognition of the occasion, the Union County Board of County Commissioners invites residents to visit the 2025 Art for All Abilities Exhibit. This special exhibit features 20 original works created by Union County residents of all abilities and will be on display throughout the month of July at the Commissioner's Gallery.



Rowan

Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum Announces NJ Arts Annual Artists

(GLASSBORO, NJ) -- Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum is excited to announce the participating artists who will be included in the 2025 New Jersey Arts Annual for Fine Art, presented in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, opening Saturday, June 7th from 4:00pm-7:00pm, and on display through August 2, 2025.



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Art

Art on Screen: The Danish Collector

Monday, July 14, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: art


 

Vivid

Vivid Summer Solos: Where is Everybody?

Wednesday, July 09, 2025 @ 6:30pm
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901




 

Free

Free Summer Event: Country Line Dancing with Paul Stoddard

Wednesday, July 09, 2025 @ 6:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) - Pioneer Park at Headquarter's Plaza
3 Speedwell Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960



Frisson

Frisson Winds

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960



Terry

Terry Fator: On The Road Again

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ 07008



A

A Broadway Tour of America

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Grunin Center - Black Box Theater
1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754





Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info