Works by Palisadian Artist on Display at Topanga Canyon Gallery

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

The work of Palisadian artist Kit Plumridge is now on display at Topanga Canyon Gallery—but those interested should plan to check out the solo show soon, as it is slated to end on July 3.

The exhibition has been described as “imaginative and beautiful machines and contraptions taking visitors on a fantastical trip.”

Plumridge, also known by his alter ego Kitonius V Plummi, shared that he expanded his work and will be including “incredible silk scarves that match up to his leather characters and are sold along with NFTs.”

Previously, Plumridge started a project—which began with a few masks—a year and a half before the pandemic, his wife, Megan, shared with the Palisadian-Post in 2020.

“Typically, life is imitating art,” Plumridge said at the time, “but now we have art imitating life.”

Megan explained that Kit designed concepts that began with a few masks and grew to be 13 in all, each paired with a musical instrument to make 26 pieces total.

The pieces, Kit’s “Plague Punk – Steampunk goes Viral” exhibit, were displayed at Topanga Canyon Gallery that summer. All of the masks, hats and goggles were made of leather and hand stitched.

“Each character has its own story, related to steampunk and Jules Verne,” Megan continued.

Typically, Kit focuses on oil on canvas, but he said it was a “really gratifying experience making these leather heads and the associated instruments.”

He teamed up with Maggie Sloatman, founder of LigitNFT.io, and “will be featuring album ‘Roxy by Proxy’ on his slot machine, pachinko and pinball machine that will play [Frank] Zappa’s music,” the statement continued about the latest exhibition.

Each time an NFT is purchased at the show, which he shared is “novel and exciting,” the buyer will receive a silk scarf that pairs up with it.

Plumridge has been an artist his whole life, he shared during the 2020 interview with the Post, actively painting for the past two decades. He grew up in South Africa, attended a traditional Irish Catholic boarding school and was conscripted into the South African Army at 18.

At the age of 36, Plumridge and his family relocated to California, finding a home on the coast, where he has resided since.

Topanga Canyon Gallery is located at 137 Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit topangacanyongallery.com.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect corrected photographer credit, as well as information about the artist teaming up with Maggie Sloatman, founder of LigitNFT.io.