Andrea Kirsh visits the New Chinese Galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Kirsh says the newly re-arranged exhibit is educational, aesthetically pleasing, and able to appeal to every type of museum guest.
Read MoreMoved by the painting, “A Woman and a Girl Driving,” now on view in the PMA’s current exhibition “The Impressionist’s Eye, contributor Lacy Murphy discusses the life and work of vanguard artist and Philadelphia native Mary Cassatt.
Read MoreMandy Palasik, architect, writer, artist and art lover, makes a journey to Chester County to the home studio of the late master of woodworking, Wharton Esherick, and finds the wood surfaces irresistible to the touch (which is encouraged!) in the house Wharton built. Mandy recently reviewed the Becky Suss paintings at Fleisher-Ollman, based on that artist’s experience of the home studio. Suss’s paintings are now on view at the Esherick Museum, a great pairing.
Read MoreDear readers, as we publish the cash prize and honorable mention winners in the 2018 New Art Writers Contest, we’d like to thank everyone who took the time to share their writing with us and congratulate all the winners! This year’s turnout was truly encouraging and we can’t wait to share the “Best of the New Art Writing Contest Anthology” book with you in 2019. Thanks also to Mari Shaw, whose generosity and support of local art writing allowed us to offer our biggest prizes to date.
Read MoreNew Artblog contributor, Mark Lord visits “Agnes Martin: The Untroubled Mind/Works from the Daniel W. Dietrich II Collection” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and meditates on the enduring appeal of Martin’s subtle hand. Lord hopes this small exhibition of minimalist paintings from the 1960s and 70s, on view through October 14, will spark a resurgence of interest in the reclusive artist’s body of work.
Read MoreMandy Palasik visits Spanish-born architect and industrial designer Patricia Urquiola’s first solo exhibition stateside, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through March 18th. “Patricia Urquiola: Between Craft and Industry” celebrates Urquiola’s innovative use of familiar forms and traditional techniques to activate both mind and body.
Read MoreDear readers, this week we are publishing articles by the honorable mention winners in the 2017 New Art Writing Challenge. Thank you to all of you who submitted your writing. Co-founder of the New Art Writing Challenge, Matt Kalasky, penned this lovely introduction for you…”I often use the analogy that art writing has become a fixed tool in the service of criticism. Like we are stuck using the same monkey wrench no matter what type of art we are talking about; no matter what type of art viewer we are; no matter what reader we are trying to reach. The winners of this year’s New Art Writing Challenge have, each in their own way, thrown aside the usual tools and have shown us the power of cooked spaghetti — or a flower — or a diary entry to talk about art. The best stopped trying to make sense of the work and started to unravel the art deeper into a personal mystery that epitomizes the experience of two humans looking at each other through art. This contest didn’t generate these new perspectives and manners of looking but rather it has illuminated the spectrum of writing that has always existed. This is an art writing landscape as complex, enigmatic, and empathetic as the art it examines. Get reading!” — Matt Kalasky, Co-founder, New Art Writing Challenge
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