What exactly is contemporary art? Although the inquiry is straightforward, it proves that directness doesn’t always parallel simplicity. Such a profound and open-ended question would likely yield responses so varied and complex that the casual art viewer, let alone an individual uninitiated in the arts, might abandon the answer altogether in exasperation. That is where […]
Article · May 31, 2017 by Chip Schwartz
While Philadelphia’s real estate market has boomed in recent years, and rapid development has become a pervasive fact of life in the city, reactions have understandably been a mixed bag. In the Fairhill neighborhood–between Germantown Avenue and Front Street north of Lehigh Avenue–the pressure has been particularly acute as the changes creep steadily northward. This […]
Article · April 3, 2017 by Chip Schwartz
When you go to see a show, it goes without saying that you probably know at least something about what you’ll encounter, but what if you didn’t? What if the next time you arrived in front of the stage everyone in the audience was equally out of the loop? The Painted Bride Art Center is […]
Article · February 21, 2017 by Chip Schwartz
In Philadelphia, there is certainly no shortage of musical talent. Countless aspiring electronic musicians, practiced instrumentalists, beat makers, producers and MCs call the city home, and they might even be your neighbors. These individuals contribute to a supportive community full of music lovers, venues and studio spaces that comprise the foundation of Philly’s wide auditory […]
Article · December 9, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, a Knight Arts grantee based in the heart of Philly’s South Kensington neighborhood, has spent the last year working to strengthen its ties to the residents of the surrounding community through the Philly Block Project. This Knight-funded endeavor finds curator Kalia Brooks and conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas helping to facilitate […]
Article · November 21, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Near the back of the grounds at Eastern State Pentitentiary–Philadelphia’s historic 19th-century prison complex turned museum–visitors can find its newest structure, a 16-foot tall tower that serves as the dubious pinnacle of its so-called “Big Graph.” Instead of looking to the sometimes distant past, as many of Eastern State’s displays do, this bar graph focuses […]
Article · September 13, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Above: Busy shoppers and vendors inside Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Reading Terminal Market. Reading Terminal Market–Philadelphia’s downtown destination for all things edible and beyond–is gearing up to offer community members a chance to connect through their cuisine. Slated to get underway this fall, the market is busy organizing its upcoming “Breaking […]
Article · July 18, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Above: Tim Portlock, “Night.” Photos by Chip Schwartz. In Tim Portlock‘s world, it’s easy to encounter a remarkable sense of familiarity. In many ways, the locations he presents are just like places we’ve been. The thing is, in light of this recognition of place, there is not a face to be seen. The streets are […]
Article · June 15, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Above: Photo of Tenderloin Flophouse from the Historical Society of Philadelphia, along with a survey of formerly or currently unhoused visitors. Photos by Chip Schwartz. History has frequently been skewed toward those who recorded it. Whether facts were purposely changed to favor those in power, or the writing merely focused on what the authors were […]
Article · June 13, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Morgan Dummitt, “Wayfarers.” As May 2016 drew to a close, the Philadelphia artistic community found itself offering a bittersweet farewell with the closing of Frankford Avenue’s inimitable Philadelphia Sculpture Gym. Started by Darla Jackson in 2012 with the help of Knight support, this destination for all things wood, welding, casting, assemblage and more offered classes, studio space, equipment and […]
Article · June 2, 2016 by Chip Schwartz
Mannequins and similar human likenesses have the power to snap us back to the present moment. Catching a human form out of the corner of one’s eye is often a surprise, and for a moment, these figures seem to gain life as we react to their presence. Our self-consciousness reflects what it means to be […]
Article · May 25, 2016 by Chip Schwartz