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HISTORY OF VARGA Gallery
The VARGA Gallery opened in the historic art colony of
Woodstock, New York in June 2003.
It galvanized Woodstock's art scene with flamboyance,
controversy and drive and is a MUST-SEE for any art lover.
VARGA Gallery exhibits eclectic, innovative artists
with unique works and uninhibited style.
The VARGA Gallery serves as the studio and exhibition space of
card-carrying visionary artist Christina Varga, as well as the
Hudson Valley's finest art gallery of emerging and established
visionary, outsider and self-taught artists.
Since its inception, VARGA Gallery has hosted hundreds of
exhibitions, countless performances and the most talented
visionary and outsider artists in the area.
Christina Varga, founder and owner of VARGA Gallery,
blazed the underground art arenas of New York City in the
late 1990's. She organized and publicized her own guerrilla-style
solo exhibitions in nightclubs, theaters, restaurants,
small non-profit spaces and outdoor events.
Commissioned projects include extra-terrestrial themed
works for the 1999 MTV Movie Awards at Barker Hangar in
Los Angeles, California; a three room ceiling mural for the
nightclub Chaos on East Houston Street in New York City;
a restaurant makeover at Asia Roma in Tribeca, NY;
giant spores for a Travis Bass, Inc. Celebrity event
and many, many other projects.
In 1999 Varga began a tremendous work which transformed
three doors into life-sized neo-Byzantine depictions of Buddha,
Jesus and Mohammed (pbuh). The Triptych - a work in oil paint,
hand cut wooden mosaics, sand, mica and varnish -
is an homage to world religion.
It was displayed for the first time at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn,
New York for LadyFest East in 2002, and three years later at
Resurgence Magazine's Conference on Earth & Religion
exhibited at Bard College during 2005.
The triptych was on display for an audience of over 20,000
at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine during the holiday
season including the 2005 Winter Solstice Concert with Paul Winter
and the 2005 World AIDS Day events with singer Roberta Flack
and modern dance visionary Bill T. Jones.
The triptych of Buddha, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed is currently
on exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland
in the "All Faiths Beautiful" through October 2008. The fourth work in this
neo-Byzantine series by Christina Varga is a self-portrait depicting the
artist
as The Woman Clothed by the Sun, a biblical figure from the Book of
Revelations. This work is in progress since 2002 and can be seen in detail
in a series of documentary shots on this page.
Christina Varga is in the throes of "pixelation" a technique
she describes as chopping various media of all sorts into rough squares
and incorporating these squares into mixed media orchestrations much like
mosaic on a grid. This technique includes materials such as canvas,
small mosaic tiles, corrugated cardboard, various papers, burlap,
brocade fabrics and more. The "Pixelations" can be seen here.
To commission work by Christina Varga please contact:
VARGA Gallery
130 Tinker Street
Woodstock, NY 12498
845.679.4005
www.myspace.com/VARGAgallery
vargagallery.com
The VARGA Gallery opened in the historic art colony of
Woodstock, New York in June 2003.
It galvanized Woodstock's art scene with flamboyance,
controversy and drive and is a MUST-SEE for any art lover.
VARGA Gallery exhibits eclectic, innovative artists
with unique works and uninhibited style.
The VARGA Gallery serves as the studio and exhibition space of
card-carrying visionary artist Christina Varga, as well as the
Hudson Valley's finest art gallery of emerging and established
visionary, outsider and self-taught artists.
Since its inception, VARGA Gallery has hosted hundreds of
exhibitions, countless performances and the most talented
visionary and outsider artists in the area.
Christina Varga, founder and owner of VARGA Gallery,
blazed the underground art arenas of New York City in the
late 1990's. She organized and publicized her own guerrilla-style
solo exhibitions in nightclubs, theaters, restaurants,
small non-profit spaces and outdoor events.
Commissioned projects include extra-terrestrial themed
works for the 1999 MTV Movie Awards at Barker Hangar in
Los Angeles, California; a three room ceiling mural for the
nightclub Chaos on East Houston Street in New York City;
a restaurant makeover at Asia Roma in Tribeca, NY;
giant spores for a Travis Bass, Inc. Celebrity event
and many, many other projects.
In 1999 Varga began a tremendous work which transformed
three doors into life-sized neo-Byzantine depictions of Buddha,
Jesus and Mohammed (pbuh). The Triptych - a work in oil paint,
hand cut wooden mosaics, sand, mica and varnish -
is an homage to world religion.
It was displayed for the first time at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn,
New York for LadyFest East in 2002, and three years later at
Resurgence Magazine's Conference on Earth & Religion
exhibited at Bard College during 2005.
The triptych was on display for an audience of over 20,000
at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine during the holiday
season including the 2005 Winter Solstice Concert with Paul Winter
and the 2005 World AIDS Day events with singer Roberta Flack
and modern dance visionary Bill T. Jones.
The triptych of Buddha, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed is currently
on exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland
in the "All Faiths Beautiful" through October 2008. The fourth work in this
neo-Byzantine series by Christina Varga is a self-portrait depicting the
artist
as The Woman Clothed by the Sun, a biblical figure from the Book of
Revelations. This work is in progress since 2002 and can be seen in detail
in a series of documentary shots on this page.
Christina Varga is in the throes of "pixelation" a technique
she describes as chopping various media of all sorts into rough squares
and incorporating these squares into mixed media orchestrations much like
mosaic on a grid. This technique includes materials such as canvas,
small mosaic tiles, corrugated cardboard, various papers, burlap,
brocade fabrics and more. The "Pixelations" can be seen here.
To commission work by Christina Varga please contact:
VARGA Gallery
130 Tinker Street
Woodstock, NY 12498
845.679.4005
www.myspace.com/VARGAgallery
vargagallery.com
EXHIBITIONS OF works by Christina Varga:
Christina Varga has exhibited ongoing and continuously
at the VARGA Gallery since June 2003
These are the latest exhibitions of works by Christina Varga:
"All Faiths Beautiful" at the American Visionary Arts Musuem
October 2008 through October 2009
Kleinert Guild's "5 x 7 Show"
Woodstock, NY December 2007
Holiday Show at WAAM
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum,
December 2007
"Women's Work" - Wilder Gallery, Catskill, NY
September - October 2007
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum WAAM,
American Scenes: Images of Leisure and Entertainment
Juried by Patricia Phagan February 2007
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, 2007
Silent Space, Kingston, NY July/August 2006
Mezzaluna, Saugerties, NY March 2006
Hudson United Bank, March 2006
Woodstock Artists Association "Magic" juried show, 2006
Art Society of Kingston "Green", 2006
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, 2006
Woodstock Artists Association, September 2005
ASK Found Object Show, September 2005
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, August 2005
Farfetched Gallery, Kingston, NY July 2005
The Upstairs Art Gallery, Phonecia, NY June 2005
Resurgence Earth & Religion Conference
Bard College - Olin Auditorium, June 2005
Joyous Lake Blacklight Art Woodstock, NYJune 2005
ASK "The Sky's the Limit" Gala, Kingston, NY May 2005
Studio 8 Gallery, Kingston, NY- February 2005
Woodstock Guild's Red Hot Show @ the Kleinert,
Woodstock, NY February 2005
Woodstock Guild's Members Show @ the Kleinert,
Woodstock, NY December 2004
Woodstock Tattoo & Body Art Festival
" Propaganda & War"
Woodstock Gallery of Art Woodstock, NY September 2004
Woodstock Tattoo Festival, Woodstock, NY September 2004
Woodstock Tattoo Festival, Woodstock, NY 2003
Woodstock Artists Studio Tour, Woodstock, NY 2003
Goddess Festival, Legends, Woodstock, NY 2002
New York City Solo Exhibitions
Go, NYC 2002
Saada, Upper East Side, NYC 2001
Manhattan Theatre Source, West Village, NYC 2000
The Vault, Chaos, Lower East Side, NYC 2000
Parlay, East Village, NYC 2000
MTV Networks, Times Square, NYC 1999
Jonathan Marx Gallery, SoHo, NYC 1999
Reza Namazi Gallery SoHo, NYC 1999
Life, East Village, NYC 1999
Shine - Tribeca, NYC 1999
Fred's Beauty Chelsea, NYC 1999
NV/289 Soho, NYC, 1998 - 2000
New York City Group Exhibitions
Art Expo 2006 Jacob Javitz Center
Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, NYC 2005/2006
LadyFest East, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn 2002
Estrogenius, Manhattan Theatre Source
Washington Square Park, NYC 2000
NY International Independent Film & Video Festival,
Madison Square Garden, NYC 1999
Christina Varga has exhibited ongoing and continuously
at the VARGA Gallery since June 2003
These are the latest exhibitions of works by Christina Varga:
"All Faiths Beautiful" at the American Visionary Arts Musuem
October 2008 through October 2009
Kleinert Guild's "5 x 7 Show"
Woodstock, NY December 2007
Holiday Show at WAAM
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum,
December 2007
"Women's Work" - Wilder Gallery, Catskill, NY
September - October 2007
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum WAAM,
American Scenes: Images of Leisure and Entertainment
Juried by Patricia Phagan February 2007
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, 2007
Silent Space, Kingston, NY July/August 2006
Mezzaluna, Saugerties, NY March 2006
Hudson United Bank, March 2006
Woodstock Artists Association "Magic" juried show, 2006
Art Society of Kingston "Green", 2006
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, 2006
Woodstock Artists Association, September 2005
ASK Found Object Show, September 2005
Phonecia Arts Upstairs, August 2005
Farfetched Gallery, Kingston, NY July 2005
The Upstairs Art Gallery, Phonecia, NY June 2005
Resurgence Earth & Religion Conference
Bard College - Olin Auditorium, June 2005
Joyous Lake Blacklight Art Woodstock, NYJune 2005
ASK "The Sky's the Limit" Gala, Kingston, NY May 2005
Studio 8 Gallery, Kingston, NY- February 2005
Woodstock Guild's Red Hot Show @ the Kleinert,
Woodstock, NY February 2005
Woodstock Guild's Members Show @ the Kleinert,
Woodstock, NY December 2004
Woodstock Tattoo & Body Art Festival
" Propaganda & War"
Woodstock Gallery of Art Woodstock, NY September 2004
Woodstock Tattoo Festival, Woodstock, NY September 2004
Woodstock Tattoo Festival, Woodstock, NY 2003
Woodstock Artists Studio Tour, Woodstock, NY 2003
Goddess Festival, Legends, Woodstock, NY 2002
New York City Solo Exhibitions
Go, NYC 2002
Saada, Upper East Side, NYC 2001
Manhattan Theatre Source, West Village, NYC 2000
The Vault, Chaos, Lower East Side, NYC 2000
Parlay, East Village, NYC 2000
MTV Networks, Times Square, NYC 1999
Jonathan Marx Gallery, SoHo, NYC 1999
Reza Namazi Gallery SoHo, NYC 1999
Life, East Village, NYC 1999
Shine - Tribeca, NYC 1999
Fred's Beauty Chelsea, NYC 1999
NV/289 Soho, NYC, 1998 - 2000
New York City Group Exhibitions
Art Expo 2006 Jacob Javitz Center
Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, NYC 2005/2006
LadyFest East, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn 2002
Estrogenius, Manhattan Theatre Source
Washington Square Park, NYC 2000
NY International Independent Film & Video Festival,
Madison Square Garden, NYC 1999
VARGA is a flambouyant member and important credit to the
following organizations:
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum (WAAM)
serving on Board of Directors 2007/2008
Art Society of Kingston - ASK
Woodstock Chamber of Arts & Commerce
The Woodstock Guild Kleinert/James
Phonecia Arts Upstairs
Commissioned Works
Refurbishment of Whitehead Della Robbia Memorial,
Artists' Cemetery, Woodstock, NY 2003
Bamboo Mural Design Asia Roma, Tribeca, NYC, 2001
Nightime Ceiling mosaic - The Vault at Chaos
Lower East Side, NYC, 1999
Aliens - MTV Movie Awards, Los Angeles, CA 1998
Notable events at the VARGA Gallery include:
The 2007 NYC Graffiti Art Show
My Heart Belongs to Dada
Stick, Stone & Bone
The February Women's Show
VARGAstock
The Outdoor Art Fair
& many more shows. Check here
Our Woodstock Idols are Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis
Joplin, Hervey White, Jean Geddes and
all the fantastic visionaries that are drawn to these Beautiful
Catskill Mountains!
Visit OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN before your time is up!
following organizations:
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum (WAAM)
serving on Board of Directors 2007/2008
Art Society of Kingston - ASK
Woodstock Chamber of Arts & Commerce
The Woodstock Guild Kleinert/James
Phonecia Arts Upstairs
Commissioned Works
Refurbishment of Whitehead Della Robbia Memorial,
Artists' Cemetery, Woodstock, NY 2003
Bamboo Mural Design Asia Roma, Tribeca, NYC, 2001
Nightime Ceiling mosaic - The Vault at Chaos
Lower East Side, NYC, 1999
Aliens - MTV Movie Awards, Los Angeles, CA 1998
Notable events at the VARGA Gallery include:
The 2007 NYC Graffiti Art Show
My Heart Belongs to Dada
Stick, Stone & Bone
The February Women's Show
VARGAstock
The Outdoor Art Fair
& many more shows. Check here
Our Woodstock Idols are Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis
Joplin, Hervey White, Jean Geddes and
all the fantastic visionaries that are drawn to these Beautiful
Catskill Mountains!
Visit OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN before your time is up!
| The New York Optimist February 2009 |
