With an art scene as old as the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia offers a diverse and vibrant array of museums and galleries. In fact, the City of Brotherly Love itself is one open-air exhibition, with over 400 public artworks lining its streets. As July comes to an end, Philly is showcasing works from American legends and newcomers alike in an exciting lineup of shows.
When in town, check out Polly Apfelbaum’s colorful, uplifting collages at Locks Gallery, which incorporate the iconic design and heartening message of the city’s famous Robert Indiana Love sculpture. Afterwards, venture out to the nearby Seraphin Gallery, tucked away in the quiet streets of Washington Square West. There you will find the “4th-Annual Emerging Talent” show, featuring cutting-edge works from local artists fresh out of graduate school. Then, head over to Paradigm Gallery to see the genre-bending exhibition “Stitched: Part II,” which elevates the crafting traditions to the realm of fine art. Pay special attention to Emily Barletta‘s thread drawings and Mathew Cox’s inventive multimedia works. Finally, be sure not to miss “Cy Twombly’s Illiad” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view the artist’s well-known series that tackles the existential themes of Homer’s great epic. Pro tip: on your way in, embrace your inner “Rocky Balboa” and charge up the stairs to beat the lines.
Exhibition: “Summer of Love: Prints by Polly Apfelbaum”
When: July 7–August 1, 2017
Where: Locks Gallery, 600 Washington Square S., Philadelphia, PA
Installation view. Courtesy of Seraphin Gallery.
Exhibition: “4th Annual Emerging Talent”
When: June 30–August 13, 2017
Where: Seraphin Gallery, 1108 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Peter Allen Hoffmann, Untitled (2016). Courtesy of Fleisher/Ollman Gallery.
Exhibition: “Alchemy, Typology, Entropy: Adam Lovitz, Peter Allen Hoffmann, Alexis Granwell”
When: June 8–August 25, 2017
Where: Fleisher/Ollman Gallery, 1216 Arch Street, 5A, Philadelphia, PA
Ane Graff, What Oscillates (2017). Courtesy of ICA Philadelphia.
Exhibition: “Myths of Marble”
When: April 28–August 6, 2017
Where: Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Mohamed Bourouissa, Still from Horse Day (2015). Courtesy of the Barnes Foundation.
Exhibition: “Mohamed Bourouissa: Urban Riders”
When: June 30–October 2, 2017
Where: Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Exhibition: “Stitched: Part II”
When: June 23–August 19, 2017
Where: Paradigm Gallery, 746 S. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Cy Twombly, Fifty Days at Iliam (1978). Courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Exhibition: “Cy Twombly’s Illiad”
When: May 20–October 8, 2017
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Ada Luisa Trillo, Tatto. Courtesy of Twenty-Two Gallery.
Exhibition: “How Did I Get Here?“
When: July 13–August 6, 2017
Where: Twenty-Two Gallery, 236 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Shalene Valenzuela, Telephone: Tangled II (2016). Courtesy of The Clay Studio.
Exhibition: “Sign of the Times”
When: July 21–August 27, 2017
Where: The Clay Studio, 137–139 N. Second Street, Philadelphia, PA