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Live Comments – Frank Bramblett’s No Intention at Woodmere

In this Live Comments, we hear from Bill Valerio, Rick Ortwein, Mike Ambron and Frank Bramblett about the artist and his retrospective at Woodmere Art Museum.

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Bill Valerio, Director of Woodmere Art Museum and Rick Ortwein, Associate Director for Exhibitions

Mike Ambron, a former student of Frank’s at Tyler School of Art

Frank Bramblett, talking about the place of painting in the world

Frank Bramblett, at the opening of the Center City Tyler School of Art. They ran out of "Hello my name is" stickers so Frank made his own out of blue tape.
Frank Bramblett, at the opening of the Center City Tyler School of Art. They ran out of “Hello my name is” stickers so Frank made his own out of blue tape.

What engages Frank Bramblett is the inner life of a painting, often built upon secrets that only the artist knows. Frank, who has a deep inner dialog with his works, has shared his art secrets with few — until now.  In our 2012 podcast with Frank, he revealed that when he spoke about art — like at student critiques, to which Libby and I were witness when we co-taught with him at Tyler — he was channeling his imaginary friend, Graham.  All we know is that Graham/Frank is brilliant and his/Graham’s words have become “a voice” in the heads of many of the young artists he mentored.

Frank is a Pew Fellow but his works are under-known in Philadelphia.  When I met him at Woodmere recently, where he has a glorious career retrospective, he talked about his works as siblings, offspring, cousins —  his family.  (My photos of the show are here.)

I captured some Live Comments at the opening and afterwards. The show is up until June 21 and I highly recommend a visit.  Woodmere has lots of programming around the show indluding a discussion between Dona Nelson and Gerald Silk; a talk by Donald Odili Odita; and a talk by Reid Bramblett, Frank’s son.

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