Michael Lieberman encounters archival performance art from the streets of the world and wonders about contemporary humans fixated on their cellphones and whether we are growing a population of cyber-flâneurs who are not really connected to the streets at all.
Read MoreAyana Evans is a perfect reverse-flåneur — a women (not envisioned in the 19th Century flåneur concept) and someone whose endurance performances are active, conceptual, aerobic and the opposite of idle. The artist works in prominent locations (the Rocky steps, one time in NYC in the middle of a busy intersection). And she dresses, purposely, in the most “girlie girl,” non-athletic garb imaginable. She will wear the tiger-striped catsuit and black stiletto heels she wore at the press preview in her 10-hour Philadelphia performance on May 6 at locations all around town.
Read MoreWhen he was approached by the Barnes Foundation to be involved in the Person of the Crowd project, about flânerie (the art of strolling, idling), Virgil Marti thought to himself, I’m not a flâneur, am I? But then he thought again about the idea of walking the streets and thinking and observing and walking some more, and he decided that yes, maybe he was a flâneur — of Fabric Row, the fabric and notions mecca on 4th Street in Queen Village.
Read MoreHornick wants to take us on a voyage through the collection that is both physical and spiritual, asking us to participate in her own mystical and shamanic experience of the paintings and sculptures of the Barnes.
Read MoreJack Whitten’s paintings have challenged the potential of material and space for decades. His exhibition at Hauser & Wirth in New York City picks from recent work and his vast catalogue of mind-bending work. With titles like “The Third Entity,” “The Fifth Portal,” and “Quantum Wall,” who can go wrong?
Read MoreAfter the Oakland fire, we are all worried about artists in DIY warehouse spaces with their iffy electricals and storage of who knows what kind of art materials. Philadelphia has some spaces I worry about. Here’s an open-source, editable tip guide for making collaborative DIY spaces more fire safe: HARM REDUCTION FOR DIY VENUES: DO IT YOURSELF // DO IT NOW
Read MoreFor those who don’t know the photographs but who love the paintings of the era, the exhibition will be a revelation. The call and response between these photos and the paintings nearby is almost audible.
Read MoreLee Tusman has curated up a storm at many places in Philadelphia (e.g., Little Berlin) and elsewhere. Now, he’s got a really great-sounding one-night-only performance–Room 21–he’s organized in collaboration with Ars Nova and DJ Jace Clayton and the Prometheus Chamber Orchestra. I talked with Lee about the musical performance, which will take place on Saturday, September 9 at the Barnes Foundation, and asked why it’s at the Barnes and is Room 21 one of the Barnes gallery rooms. Take a listen and see! Then rush out and get tickets (here: $10/$8 for Barnes members)
Read MoreThe Pew Center for Arts and Heritage spreads $10 million in 53 grants to individuals and organizations. We’re especially happy for these strong women in the mix – Sharon Hayes and Tiona McClodden, who are new Pew fellows; Erin Bernard and The History Truck and Kelsey Halliday Johnson for her exhibition about women’s art and technology from 1970-85 – yay! Congratulations, all!
Read MoreThe Woodmere has assembled a picture of a self-organized community that thrived without outside help; in doing so, the museum enables the rest of Philadelphia’s art community to see what they’ve been missing.
Read MoreNew Writers House at Rutgers-Camden – The ribbon cutting’s today at 305 Cooper St., extensively renovated to house the English Department and MFA program in creative writing. First floor will be a programming space. “Historically known as the Henry Genet Taylor House, the structure, originally built in 1885, was designed by renowned Philadelphia architect Wilson Eyre Jr. in the style of American Queen Anne Revival. In 1989, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places…”
Read MorePhilly Public Art Guidebook debuts! (Now how about a guidebook for the rest of the art scene…galleries, museums, alternative hot spots.) – The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy has released “A Guide to Philadelphia’s Public Art” – It’s online, too, in a nice flip-through edition.
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