Newsletter

Donate art for Artblog’s 20th birthday silent auction! Betty Leacraft, Akilah t’Zuberi, and Asake Denise Jones at Ultra Silk Gallery, 17th Annual Juneteenth Parade in Germantown, sad news of H.D. Ivey’s passing, plus opportunities

Hi, this week we start with sad news as we learn of the death of artist H.D. Ivey leaving behind a vast collection of surrealistic sculptures, drawings, and paintings relating the fears of the nuclear age. A friend of the Artblog Betty Leacraft joins Akilah t’Zuberi and Asake Denise Jones in Joyful New Beginnings at Ultra Silk Gallery. Voice your opinions on the design of Harriet Tubman’s statue for City Hall June 22nd and join the 17th Annual Juneteenth Parade in Germantown. Lots to do this week and next, we hope you’ll get out and engage with some of the exciting things happening around.

Notable Exhibitions

Joyful New Beginnings at Ultra Silk Gallery featuring the work of Betty Leacraft, Akilah t’Zuberi & Asake Denise Jones

Three black women sit on a couch with an arabesque geometric pattern with a matching table. From left to right the women are Betty Leacraft, Akilah t’Zuberi, and Asake Denise Jones . Betty Leacraft is wearing a silk like purple shirt and head wrap, with dark black sunglasses. Akilah wears all black with rings on their finger and a septum. Their hair is in dreads in a hat. Asake is in a yellow shirt with an orange scarf, they wear gold hoop earrings and black framed glasses. Across the image is the title of the exhibition "Joyful New Beginnings" and "Mixed media fiber, & textiles Art Exhibition."
Image courtesy of Ultra Silk Gallery

June 9 – July 9, 2023
Ultra Silk Gallery, 3808 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104

Artblog favorite Betty Leacraft, Asake Denise Jones, and Akilah t’Zuberi utilize the transformation of fabric, silkscreen, thread, wood, paint and found objects into a symphony of expressions exploring family ancestry, ritual beliefs, and storytelling. Ultra Silk Gallery is proud to showcase this new exhibition with three of the most talented, prolific, and original artists domestic and abroad.

Learn more here.
P.S. Here’s an interview Artblog did with Betty Leacraft

The Hungry Body a temporary installation at Crane Arts Building

A window at the Crane Arts building with plastic wrapped electrical wires weaved into the grating of the window. The dominant color is white with a branched tree pattern of blue lining the bottom.
The Hungry Body by Jazmyn Crosby. Image courtesy of InLiquid Gallery.

June 8 – August 1, 2023
Crane Arts Building, 1400 N. American St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

The Hungry Body by Jazmyn Crosby is a site specific installation with an accompanying radio broadcast available for 24/7 outdoor viewing. Radios are available from Inliquid Gallery during normal hours. The work is made with plastic-coated wires and electronics weaved into the window grates of the InLiquid Gallery at Crane Arts. The installation also uses micro-plastic dietary supplements and The Hungry Body radio at 88.9 FM.

Learn more here.

Seeking Freedom: Portraits of Mass Incarceration at Muse Gallery in Old City

A dark blue, grey, and neon yellow portrait of William Palmer a man who was or is incarcerated. He has a wide nose, illuminated eyes, a beard, and nice lips. He looks off into the right side of the composition.
Portrait of William Palmer by Carolyn Harper. Image courtesy of Muse Gallery.

May 31 – July 2, 2023
Muse Gallery, 52 North 2nd St. Old City, Philadelphia 19106

Textile artist Carolyn Harper uses a multitude of techniques from batik, quilting, and embroidery to create portraits of currently and formerly incarcerated people. Wall texts, written in collaboration between Harper and the sitters tell the stories of those pictured.

Learn more here.

News

Rest In Peace artist H.D. Ivey, a Texas born, Philadelphia based sculptor, painter, and much more

A sculpture of a cowboy with an erection in chaps and a big cowboy hat. He has clenched fists and his legs are bowed. He stands upon a painted plinth. He is rendered in wood.
Photo courtesy of Michael Carroll.

Sad news too announce that the wonderful and surrealistic artist that was H.D. Ivey has passed. His work often dealt with the feelings he felt growing up under the constant threat of nuclear attack. In 2015 Michael Carroll reviewed a show by Ivey on Artblog.

A friend’s facebook post announcing the death of Ivey can be found here.

Congrats to Karl Morris and Urban Art Gallery for 10 years and a recent feature in the Inquirer

Morris and the gallery were recently featured in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The article takes the reader through Morris’ journey in appreciating art and beginning a gallery, “To me, art is inspirational, it’s peaceful, it’s beautiful.” As he engaged with black artists and emerging artists of color he learned of the barriers to entry for upscale galleries downtown. He combined a love for art and a desire to give back and engage with the community, resulting in Urban Art Gallery. Read it here.

Visit Urban Art Gallery on 262 S 52nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19139
Wednesdays and Fridays 5PM – 8PM
Saturdays 12PM – 5PM

Events

17th Annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade

June 17th at 12PM – 7PM
6300 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144
Free

Philadelphia’s Juneteenth Parade is a day-long outdoor street festival that educates the community with a focus on the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements of the past and present. Activities are designed to bring history to life for all to enjoy. The parade features African drumming, a Children’s Village, historical re-enactments, a historical and cultural marketplace, tours, resource information, food trucks, music, artistic performances, panel discussions, and more! Wow there’s a lot to see

Learn more here.

Juneteenth Celebration: Sounds of Freedom at the Parkway Central Library

Thrusday, June 22 at 5:30 PM
Parkway Central Library, Free Library of Philadelphia Grand Lobby 1901 Vine St. Philadelphia, PA 19103
Free

In collaboration with the Parkway Central Library Music Department, Sistahs Laying Down Hands Collective Lead Percussionist and Artistic Director, Karen “Magic Fingaz” Smith and Friends presents A unique very inclusive Juneteenth Celebration Sounds of Freedom! An evening of rhythms, stories, poetry, dance, crafts, and live music, The program will also highlight the Summer Solstice, Pride, and Music Month.

Learn more and register here.

Opportunities

Donate your art for Artblog’s fundraiser auction!

Two women pose in a park, with painted concrete sculptural pillows around them.
“Throw Pillows” 1995. Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof. Site specific installation in Cedar Crest Park, Allentown, PA

Artblog is looking for art in all price ranges from $100 to $1,000+. We are providing a 25% giveback of the sale price of the donated art to the artists, as a gesture of our thanks for your support. Please join us at Moore College of Art and Design September 7th, 2023, for a beautiful exhibition and celebration of Artblog’s 20th year. There will be food and beverages and cake.

Donate your work here!
Learn more about our 20th birthday here.

LightSpace Gallery Call for Artists: Nature Morte

Submit work to LightSpaceGallery@gmail.com
Deadline June 17th
Exhibition will run from June 21 – August 30, 2023 [Note: this is an online exhibition space at an online gallery]

In Nature Morte LightSpace Gallery searches for contemporary reimaginings of still life in all art mediums. No entry fee.

Learn more here.

Here’s your opportunity to share your thoughts on the Harriet Tubman Statue

Thursday, June 22 at 5:30 – 7:30 PM

The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) invites you to a Public Design Presentation Meeting with the five semi-finalist artists competing to create Philadelphia’s permanent Harriet Tubman statue. The meeting will be conducted on Zoom and artists will present their designs, renderings, or models and voice their vision for Tubman’s statue. The public is invited to use their presentations to rank their favorite design in an online survey opening following the meeting and concluding on July 21st. The chosen design will sit on the northeast apron of City Hall. Tubman will be the first statue of a Black female historical figure in the City’s public art collection.

RSVP and learn more here.

sponsored
sponsored