Artblog | public art

November 21, 2023 by Ryan deRoche

Reflecting on Mural Arts’s ‘Created, Together.’ A National Assembly in Philadelphia

The “Created, Together.” national assembly, hosted by Mural Arts united artists, administrators, community members, and policymakers to exchange knowledge and promote community-centered art-making. Ryan deRoche experiences first hand the impact that extends beyond art creation, fostering mutual aid, community growth, and positive outlooks among participants, emphasizing lasting effects on the communities involved.

November 29, 2022 by Dereck Stafford Mangus

As the world turns, some quirky buildings adapt, here are five

All cities have their quirky old buildings, and Dereck Mangus rounds up five that stand out in Baltimore for their long upstanding facades, which stayed the same as the world changed around them and sometimes their “innards” were made fresh for the times.

September 6, 2022 by Dereck Stafford Mangus

Baltimore murals speak to communities and neighborhoods, a roundup

Dereck Mangus rounds up several Baltimore murals that honor local heroes and adorn the walls of neighborhoods far and wide.

March 25, 2022 by Roberta

Velocity Fund launches fifth year of funding for Philadelphia Artists with open call for innovative projects

Artblog is excited to let you know about The Velocity Fund’s 2022 open call for projects in and with communities in Philadelphia. We love this direct-to-artist funding source! We believe that art belongs in the community, and projects belong in the hands of artists, and The Velocity Fund helps make that happen. Read on and be sure to consider applying for your innovative project.

October 8, 2020 by Artblog

Ken Lum and Karyn Olivier talk Art and Social Responsibility

Today we have a very special episode of Artblog Radio- “Art and Social Responsibility Today” with Ken Lum and Karyn Olivier! The talk was originally streamed on September 23rd, 2020, as a live Zoom panel in support of our 17th birthday and fundraiser.

June 3, 2020 by Ilana Napoli

Artists of ‘Yes In My Front Yard’ (YIMFY) on future of the arts post-COVID-19

In part two of this two-part essay on ‘Yes in My Front Yard” (YIMFY), a public installation in West Philly, Ilana Napoli speaks with curators and artists Daniel Tucker, Emily Bunker, Li Sumpter and Lucia Thomé about the flaws of the current arts infrastructure and reimagining the future post-COVID-19.

March 23, 2020 by Alex Smith

Of monumental proportions, Karyn Olivier’s ‘Everything That’s Alive Moves’

Alex Smith reviews Karyn Olivier’s newest exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. The display of monuments by Olivier explores the significance and felt impact of these memorial structures.

January 24, 2020 by Roberta

Milord LaChamarre, upclose and weirder than ever inside Centre Square

After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting in the wings, literally in a corner behind the building hoisted up on what looked like a hydraulic lift from Jiffylube, Milord LaChamarre (My Lord of the Fancy Vest), one of Philadelphia’s best public art works, is in a better place.

July 2, 2019 by Wit López

Artist activist Conrad Benner talks about the origin of his popular and influential Streets Department blog

Artblog’s very first live podcast recording took place June 20 at the amazing Tattooed Mom on South Street, with Wit López talking with Conrad Benner of StreetsDept.com.

April 23, 2019 by Lacy Murphy

Why Are These Here? Antony Gormley’s “STAND”, Public Art, and the American Art Museum

Lacy Murphy talks Anthony Gormley’s “STAND” (on display at the Pennsylvania Museum of Art until June 24, 2019) and the role of public art.

March 13, 2019 by Andrea Kirsh

Public artist of bridges and space and concerns for community, Siah Armajani at the Met Breuer

Public art nerds! Artblog contributor Andrea Kirsh penned a thoughtful piece on “Siah Armajani: Follow This Line” (on view NOW at the Met Breuer!) Armajani, who was forced to leave Iran in the 1960s for political reasons, creates witty works that comment on American building forms and pose questions about social interactions with public spaces. Don’t miss “Siah Armajani: Follow This Line” on view until June 2nd, 2019!

August 29, 2018 by Mandy Palasik

Discovering Art and Architecture on New York’s Governors Island

Mandy Palasik, Artblog’s resident architect, takes a trip up to Governors Island in New York Harbor to survey the site’s innovative fusion of public art and architectural preservation. In the process, she comes away with some great recommendations for our own fair city! In addition to the work described here, readers should also check out the 11th annual Governors Island Art Fair, which opens September 1 and runs every weekend through the end of the month.

June 22, 2017 by Michael Lieberman

Big Bling, alluring and abstract, towers over the Schuylkill

Martin Puryear brings his work to the public in Philadelphia for the second time with Big Bling (2016), an enigmatic sculpture that invites speculation on the banks of the Schuylkill River.

May 19, 2017 by Dave Kyu

Proposed Discovery Center raises questions about public land and private use

Dave Kyu fills us in on the discussion at May’s Art Commission meeting, which centered on the construction of the Discovery Center in Fairmount Park. How do you lease public land for private use? Turns out, you just need a fancy new gate.