Pew Center for Arts and Heritage today announced $1.1 million in grants to seven local arts arts organizations for exhibitions or exhibition planning. The recipient institutions represent some of the largest museums in the region — the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Michener Museum, and several respected local arts organizations — Philadelphia Art Alliance, The Print Center, Ars Nova and the Schuylkill Center. This year’s grants bring the total given by the Pew’s PEI to $13 million for 119 projects since the program began in 1997.

jasonrhoadesweb — Jason Rhoades, Garage Renovation New York (Cherry Makita), 1993, mixed media, Friedrich Flick Collection, Berlin. Image courtesy of the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania.

Among the exhibitions to be funded that artblog is excited about are

1. the first major American museum show of works of the late Jason Rhoades, a West Coast artist who died unexpectedly in 2006. That show will travel to LA MoCA; –Recipient – ICA $250,000

dongsongweb — Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen, The Way of Chopsticks III, 2011. Image courtesy of Chambers Fine Art.

2. Installation by Chinese husband and wife team Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen that involves collaborative chopstick making and will also include new work and a video — Recipient – Philadelphia Art Alliance $200,000

demetriusoliverweb — Demetrius Oliver, Vulpecula, 2007, digital chromogenic print. Image courtesy of the artist.

3. Demetrius Oliver’s Canis Major, in which the New York-based African American artist will completely change the space and create a secret observatory open to the public one hour each night. The ideas have to do with invisibility and trickery and things that are visible only at night. A monograph on the exhibition will be produced and an artist’s book. Recipient – the Print Center $118,000

For a full list of all seven projects, see PEI’s website.