A Brief Biography
Vahge was born in the quiet suburbs just south of Baltimore, where her neighbors had perfectly kept lawns and watchful eyes. An isolated child with few friends, she withdrew to her imagination for entertainment and solace. Her early years were spent befriending muppets, making up stories, and slowly constructing a three-storied, twenty-five roomed Barbie house. She began making collages one summer during a bout of restless obsession in the company of a philosophical feline and a consortium of colorful characters.
A self taught artist, Vahge moved to Brooklyn, NY in the fall of 2007, where she currently lives and works. Her collages have shown in London, Italy, New York, California, New Jersey, Miami, and Santa Fe, NM. She has provided promotional artwork for the Dresden Dolls, and artwork to Universal Records for Katharine McPhee's 2010 holiday album.
Vahge's collages contrast the whimsical and romantic with unsettling aspects of reality. There is also often a hint of humor in her work. She incorporates elements of dreams, literature, music, theater, and classic portraiture, and draws heavily from the rich imagery of german expressionism and victorian culture.
Usually crafted on a small scale, her work is highly detailed, using layers of paper to construct characters and scenes with precise proportion and depth. She focuses mainly on female characters, placing them center stage and exposing their inner turmoils and unique beauty. In all her work, whether it be a sociopathic conjoined twin, a tragic clown, an embellished lady-in-waiting, or a chaste mistress, Vahge celebrates oddity with elegance.
EXHIBITION HISTORY
2012
"V" - Group show at POP Gallery/Santa Fe, NM (Feb)
"Print This" - Group show at MF Gallery Genova/Genova, IT (Jan)
2011
"Multiversal Miami" - Featured Artist at Art Basel Miami/Miami, FL (Dec)
"Bite-Sized Monsters" - Group show at Modern Eden Gallery/San Francisco, CA (Oct)
"Memento Mori" - Group show at Modern Eden Gallery/San Francisco, CA (Aug)
"I Hope You Like Art" - Group show at Kings County/Brooklyn, NY (Aug)
"Break A Leg: Charity Art Auction" - Group show at Distinction Gallery/Escondido, CA (Aug)
"The New Surrealism: A Collection of Strange" - Group show at Modern Eden Gallery/San Francisco, CA (Jul)
"Down and Dirty" - Group show at Parlor Gallery/Asbury Park, NJ (Jun)
"Stay Gold" - Group show at Curbs and Stoops/Brooklyn, NY (Jun)
"3rd Anniversary Show" - Group show at C.A.V.E Gallery/Venice, CA (May)
"Femme Sugar Coated Strange" - Group show at POP Gallery/Santa Fe, NM (Apr)
"40 Oz. Show" - Group show at MF Gallery/New York, NY (Mar)
2010
"Cutlass" - Group show at Parlor Gallery/Asbury Park, NJ (Dec)
"Pin Up" - Group show at Kings County/Brooklyn, NY (Aug)
"New Order Part One" - Solo show at 99% Gallery/Brooklyn, NY (Jul)
"Brooklyn Saves" - Group show at Eastern District Gallery/Brooklyn, NY (Jul)
"Brooklyn Stand Up: Art Auction" - Solo show at 99% Gallery/Brooklyn, NY (Jun)
2009
"Recession Proof" - Group show at Hi Christina Gallery/Brooklyn, NY (Nov)
"Bosjwik America" - Group show at Eastern District Gallery/Brooklyn, NY (Sept)
2008
"Paper Cut Theatre" - Solo show at RePOP/Brooklyn, NY (Mar)
"Think Big" - Group show at Hive Gallery/Los Angeles, CA (Feb)
"Eaten Alive" - Group show at Headquarters Gallery/New York, NY (Feb)
2007
"Red and Black" - Group show at Luna Lounge/Brooklyn, NY (Oct)
2006
"Dresden Dolls: One Night Only" - Group show at London Astoria/London, UK (May)