Hoboken’s creative pulse is taking on a delightfully unconventional edge this winter as artist and musician Ted Lyons unveils a rare and deeply personal exhibition at 503 Social Club. Running through March 7, the show introduces local audiences to a body of work that is playful, unsettling, humorous, and oddly tender all at once, marking one of Lyons’ most significant public art presentations in years.
Titled “Pigmen or Mulemen, You Decide,” the exhibition occupies an intimate space that feels well-suited to Lyons’ eccentric visual language. The North Carolina-based folk artist, now in his early seventies, has spent decades cultivating a style that resists easy categorization. His drawings populate the walls with strange, hybrid figures and expressive characters that seem to exist somewhere between dream logic and folklore, inviting viewers to linger, question, and ultimately decide for themselves what they are seeing.
The works on display range from densely populated scenes to singular portraits, each rendered with a raw, instinctive line quality that feels both deliberate and unfiltered. Titles such as “20 Beautiful Pig Men” and “Cat With a Ridiculous Hat” hint at the humor embedded in the work, but the images themselves carry emotional depth beneath their whimsical surfaces. Lyons’ figures often appear mid-transformation, caught between animal and human, innocence and absurdity, evoking themes of identity, perception, and imagination without ever becoming didactic.
This exhibition also represents a notable moment in Lyons’ creative trajectory. While he has remained artistically active, this marks his first major showing in a considerable stretch of time, offering a rare opportunity to engage with his visual work in a focused setting. For longtime admirers and first-time viewers alike, the show functions as both a rediscovery and an introduction, highlighting an artist whose creative output spans disciplines and decades.
Lyons’ background as an accomplished musician adds another layer of intrigue. Over the years, he has performed as a drummer for legendary artists including John Lee Hooker and Mark Knopfler, experiences that have informed his rhythmic approach to visual composition. There is a sense of movement in his drawings, a cadence to the repetition of forms and patterns that suggests an artist attuned to timing, improvisation, and emotional resonance. Much like folk music, his artwork feels rooted in storytelling traditions while remaining intensely personal.
The setting at 503 Social Club enhances the experience. Located at 503 Third Street, the venue is known primarily as a live music space, and the exhibition is woven organically into its existing programming. Visitors can encounter the artwork during concerts, scheduled weekend viewing hours, or by appointment, creating a fluid relationship between visual art and performance culture. This approach mirrors Hoboken’s broader creative ecosystem, where art, music, and community often intersect rather than exist in isolation.
For those planning a visit, the exhibition also offers an opportunity to experience Hoboken as a cultural destination beyond the gallery walls. The neighborhood surrounding 503 Social Club is rich with dining options, making it easy to pair an afternoon or evening of art with a deeper exploration of the city’s food scene. Readers frequently exploring Explore New Jersey’s coverage of standout restaurants will recognize this blend of culture and cuisine as one of Hoboken’s defining strengths.
“Pigmen or Mulemen, You Decide” does not ask viewers to decode a single message or arrive at a prescribed conclusion. Instead, it encourages curiosity and personal interpretation, qualities that feel increasingly valuable in a fast-paced, image-saturated world. Lyons’ work rewards attention, revealing new details and emotional textures the longer one looks.
As the exhibition continues through early March, it stands as a reminder that some of the most compelling art experiences come not from large institutions, but from intimate spaces willing to take creative risks. In bringing Ted Lyons’ imaginative universe to Hoboken, 503 Social Club has added a distinctive chapter to the city’s cultural calendar, offering residents and visitors alike a chance to step briefly into a world where pigs, mules, cats, and humans coexist on wonderfully strange terms.
