So much is going on this Spring, from charity fundraisers to festivals of music, theater and art! Plus, graduating artists thesis shows are beginning. All good. We hope to run into you at some of these events. And if you’re ever in the neighborhood of Cultureworks, 1315 Walnut St., Suite 320, Phila 19107, on Thursdays, 10:30-12:30, drop in to say “hi,” to Ryan and Roberta, who are hosting open office hours.
NEWS
Eric Pryor, President and CEO, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Phoyo courtesy of PAFA
PAFA President and CEO Eric Pryor talks with The Inquirer’ about the certificate program, naming rights, becoming an arts center and deaccessioning
Alluding to a two-track approach for the certificate program, which will be back in 2025, Eric Pryor mentions two groups of students who would be interested in the certificates: one, older students and retirees; and one, young people, high school graduates. In the article, Pryor also talks about selling the naming rights for the historic Frank Furness building; and about the possibility of de-accessioning works that are not in sync with their understanding of their history and mission of showing contemporary art and artists. We are wondering about how contemporary is being defined. Certainly, Charles Wilson Peale and Thomas Eakins are not contemporary to today, yet they are foundational to the museum and school. Edward Hopper apparently was not contemporary nor foundational when PAFA deaccessioned the artist’s “East Wind Over Weehawken,” on Dec. 5, 2013, at Christie’s for $40.5 million. We wish PAFA well in building its way forward.
MUSIC AND THEATER NEWS
The 7th Annual Philly Theatre Week April 4 – 14, 2024 Tickets
Theatre Philadelphia hosts Philly Theatre Week: a celebration of the artists, organizations, and audiences that have made Greater Philadelphia one of the most vibrant theatre regions in the nation. Audiences will have an opportunity to try something new from our theatre community through a series of productions, readings, interactive events, and much more! Support theatre in our region and try something new! Pay What You Can tickets are limited and exclusive to Philly Theatre Week. If a show is out of Philly Theatre Week tickets, check a company’s official company website for regular price tickets. Check out the listings.
SOUND TYPE Music Festival and Writers Residency at Asian Arts Initiative March–November 2024
SOUND TYPE is a music festival and writers residency featuring a lineup of musician and writer pairings reflecting music practice and critical feedback pushing against category, form and stereotype. SOUND TYPE will take place over six sets across nine months, in 2024, enjoining musicians and writers to collaborate throughout the sets. Musicians from diverse backgrounds and genres will stage live concerts while the guest writers will host talk events, and facilitate workshops of different modalities for a cohort of writers. SOUND TYPE will feature:
Victoria Shen and Mindy Seu Che Chen and Geeta Dayal GENG PTP and John Morrison Tatsu Aoki and Joshua Minsoo Kim ASA-CHANG & Junray Tao Leigh Goffe and more… !
SOUND TYPE Music Writers Workshop We are excited to announce the selected writers for 2024 SOUND TYPE Music Writers Workshop! Unveiling on March 23, SOUND TYPE is AAI’s own Music Festival and Writers Residency that support and uplift new, experimental, courageous music from the Asian diaspora and beyond. AAI will provide a series of workshops, gatherings, and mentorships to these writers and help building a sustainable ecosystem of BIPOC musicians and writers of criticism. The writers will attend and write about the concerts and other music programs at the Festival, which will be published after the 2024 season. The writers of this year’s cohort were juried by Joshua Minsoo Kim (Tone Glow) and John Morrison (WXPN), who are also part of the curatorial advisory that informs the selection of artists in this festival. Other members of the curatorial advisory include Eugene Lew (UPenn) and Shinjoo Cho (musician).
Congratulations to Logan Cryer,who contributes to Artblog, and is one of the writers in residence who will be paired with a music maker. See the full list of writers at the website.
NEW YORK NEWS
It’s a Whitney Biennial year, so, perfect time for the New Museum to close for expansion, right?
The New Museum is temporarily closed to continue construction of our OMA-designed building expansion, anticipated to reopen in early 2025. From their Instagram post, where you can see now and future pictures: We’re expanding! The New Museum is temporarily closed to complete construction of our OMA-designed building expansion—in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, Executive Architect—which will complement our existing flagship building at 235 Bowery. Anticipated to reopen early next year, our seven-story, 60,000-square-foot expansion will double the Museum’s exhibition space, create new venues for artist residencies and public programs, and establish a permanent home for NEW INC. More on the building, architects, etc. here. During this time, New Museum programs will continue online and offsite, including traveling presentations of recent exhibitions. “Wangechi Mutu: Intertwined” is on view through July at the New Orleans Museum of Art and “Judy Chicago: Herstory” will open at LUMA Arles this June, marking the artist’s most comprehensive solo exhibition in Europe to date.
NOTABLE EXHIBITION
A Shared Table: An Exploration of Natural Dyes, Philly Dye Club at Da Vinci Art Alliance Everyday Future Fest Opening April 6, 4-7pm
As part of Everyday Future Fest (EFF), Da Vinci Art Alliance is excited to announce A Shared Table: An Exploration of Natural Dyes, a group exhibition by the Philly Dye Club. Curated by DVAA’s Executive Director Samantha Connors, A Shared Table highlights the work of Philly Dye Club, an informal monthly meet-up started in 2021, between local artists from a variety of disciplines with an interest in natural color. The exhibition invites the viewer to learn about dye processes, find shared community through process and practice, and take a closer look at our individual and collective consumption of the fiber industry. A Shared Table Dates: ● On-view: April 4 – April 21 in Gallery 1 at Da Vinci Art Alliance (704 Catharine St.). ● Opening Reception: Saturday, April 6 from 4-7pm at Da Vinci Art Alliance (704 Catharine St.) alongside our other April exhibitions Addressing the Future, Flood Zone: A Sustainable Art Silent Auction, and Aqua Terrace. ● Workshops by various Philly Dye Club members will take place as part of Everyday Futures Fest throughout the month of April. View and register for all Everyday Futures Fest events.
About the Dye Club: Philly Dye Club is an informal monthly meet-up of local artists from a variety of disciplines with a shared interest in natural color. Started in 2021, Philly Dye Club is self-organized by current members: Cindy Stockton Moore, Mary Smull, Kelly Cobb, Miriam Singer, Caresh, Laura Hricko, Michael Konrad, Cait Nolan and Angela McQuillan.
Black Lunch Table (BLT) Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon at Fisher Fine Arts Library – Mar. 27, 12:30-4PM
Save the date: Black Lunch Table (BLT) is hosting a Wikipedia edit-a-thon in the Fisher Fine Arts Library lobby on Wednesday, March 27th, from 12:30-4:00pm. This edit-a-thon will focus on improving the Wikipedia pages of important but underrepresented visual artists, curators, and art workers of the African Disapora. A training session will be held at the beginning and help will be available as participants edit. Please bring a laptop if you would like to participate. This event is free to all. Snacks provided. Additionally, there will be a special pop-up photo shoot by Taj DeVore-Bey to take portraits for the Wikipedia pages. See Fisher Fine Arts Library Instagram post.
