Cardboard as the Antidote to AI at the New Monmouth Museum in Dunellen
- Erika Schaefer
- Jun 5
- 5 min read
ARTICLE | Discover Jersey Arts | May 21, 2026 | By Ilene Dube
Getting a bit weary of AI this and AI that? Seeking to return to something retro, something basic, something ubiquitous… like cardboard robots? Then you’ll definitely want to check out The Cardboard Show at the Monmouth Museum’s spanking-new satellite location in Dunellen.
The Cardboard Show is an installation by Asbury Park artists Porkchop & Brad Hoffer. “The exhibition imagines what might flourish in the absence of human presence, where nature quietly reclaims the built environment,” says the exhibition statement. “What we often label as invasive is reframed as resilience.”
Suspended overhead is something that might be described as an enormous cardboard ceiling fan – though everything here is fanciful (it’s titled “Cosmic Pinwheel”). There are efflorescences along the walls and things that look like they could be insects that have feasted on a healthy diet of growth hormones. Indeed, its invasive plants and insects run amok. As if illuminating a pathway are torchiere-like things, titled “Frog Lilies.” One thing looks like a cardboard version of WALL-E, from the 2008 film of that name, the lone surviving trash-cleaning robot in the year 2805, who falls in love and, through a series of near-death experiences, communicates the values of humanity. That seems to be what Porkchop & Hoffer are going for here.
Towering over the space is a robot with a head that looks like a vintage TV screen – its name is “Anti AI 25.”
It all began when the duo, known for their Asbury Park murals “composed in conversation with the sea,” had a commission to create a giant cardboard holiday tree-like sculpture for the Asbury Park Boardwalk, and decided to use the leftovers to make art. Hoffer wanted to make a robot and constructed a geodesic dome as its foundation. “I knew that if I could make a geodesic dome, then I could make anything out of cardboard,” he said in a video.
“It was just a fun experiment,” said Porkchop (aka Michael LaVallee), who holds an MFA in Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA in Fine Arts from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Some of his other public art projects include site-specific installations for the historic Asbury Park Carousel and the Casino building.
Hoffer (he holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in sculpture from Rutgers University and draws obsessively) distinguishes between public art and art that is in the public, and considers his own work – large colorful drawings of robots that he calls self-portraits – in the latter category. He says that the setting gives it more of a story. For example, some viewers interpret his Asbury Park robot drawings as crabs – he says they think of this because they’re at the sea. “I want the work to speak for itself and to be something for yourself.”
Suspended over a separate gallery space, outfitted with family-friendly activities, are cardboard flying machines – a biplane, a rocket ship, and something that looks like a ceiling fan flying saucer.
Before the grand opening of this new fun space on May 2, the buildings housed a dry cleaner's and a hair salon. The hair-washing sinks have been turned into craft sinks.
The new museum came about from the blood, sweat, and tears of Erika Schaefer, Executive Director of the Monmouth Museum, whose main facility is in Lincroft. As she was birthing the Dunellen facility, Schaefer was also birthing human babies, now six months old. (They join two older siblings.)
With a background as a graphic designer, an MBA, and experiences in hospital administration and social services, Schaefer is perfectly suited to “building spaces and experiences that feel welcoming, creative, and community-centered,” as she puts it. “I always saw the importance of expanding the museum’s reach into different communities and creating spaces that feel accessible, creative, and welcoming. We also wanted to introduce more people to contemporary art and hands-on family experiences.”
Dunellen was one of the municipalities eligible for a New Jersey Economic Development Authority A.R.T. Phase II grant, and the borough leadership was on board with a shared vision for bringing arts and culture to its downtown.
Schaefer reached out to Mayor Jason Cilento to learn more about his hopes for downtown Dunellen and its continued revitalization. “It aligned perfectly with what we hoped to accomplish by bringing art into a community in a meaningful and accessible way.”
The grant required the location to be within one mile of a train station, and the new space is directly diagonal from the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line station, in the heart of Dunellen on the corner of North Avenue. “The visibility and accessibility of the location made it especially appealing,” says Schaefer.
Schaefer is drawn to the creative energy and undercurrent of art and music happening in Asbury Park. “It’s a magical place that really pulls you in… the incredible murals throughout the city all contribute to that.”
The Monmouth’s Lincroft location exhibited “The Cardboard Show” in 2024, where it was a big hit. “It was so engaging and exciting for children and adults alike that I immediately knew it would be the perfect way to open our Dunellen location,” says Schaefer. “What makes the exhibition especially impactful is that these artists take ordinary materials, objects most people would simply throw away, and transform them into extraordinary works of art. There’s something really inspiring and approachable about that for visitors of all ages.
“The exhibition communicates right away that creativity and artistic expression have no limits and that we’re going to think outside the box in Dunellen,” she continues. “It makes a statement the moment you walk through the door.”
To welcome families, children, teens, commuters, artists, and first-time museum visitors, the museum offers free workshops on weekends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as free weekday story time and crafts at 11 a.m. The family-focused activities are geared toward ages 2–12, and there are also opportunities where adults and children can experience creativity together. Coming up are a painting party for adults, rotating exhibitions, calls for art, workshops, and interactive experiences. The museum will host birthday parties and space rentals for all ages.
The Cardboard Show remains on view through July 5 and admission is free during the exhibition. Color Envy by Bryant Small opens July 10; Festival of Light: Contemporary South Asian & Diaspora Artists, a community-centered call for art celebrating culture, identity, and creative expression, will be on view in the fall during Diwali.
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