“A wall of portraits at the African American art exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art includes Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting of his mother, 1897 (center, top) | Photo: Emma Lee, for NewsWorks
- A new exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art highlights the work of 7o African American artists “hiding in plain sight” in the museum’s permanent collection, reports NewsWorks. Curator John Vick explains that the goal of “Represent: 200 Years of African American Art in the Philadelphia Museum of Art” is to focus attention on the more than 700 works already in the museum’s collection that often get obscured by the sheer volume of permanent holdings. By having 75 works by black artists consolidated in one space–up through April 5th–museum goers have an opportunity to view the African American works as a single, integral component of The American Collection.
- Flying Kite looks at a City Council hearing held two months ago meant to prompt a city-wide discussion about the urban benefits of a municipal composting program. Officials testified that a comprehensive food waste recycling program would likely require an investment of around $37 million–for the construction of a composting facility and pickup costs. That said, Bass’ office sees this as more the task of the next generation of Philadelphians.
- Curbed calls attention to the “darkly fascinating” work of Instagram user @phillyhousingprojects, a West Philadelphia-native with a penchant for chronicling the remains of Philadelphia’s mid-century public housing projects before they are invariably demolished. “There’s a certain innocence and beauty of seeing little kids playing, an abandoned basketball court, or stray cats strolling around the projects,” says the amateur photographer, who confides that he does it as a service for former residents: “They can tear down the projects, but not tear down our memories,” muses the Instagrammer.
About the author
Stephen Currall recently received his BA in history from Arcadia University. Before beginning doctoral studies, he is pursuing his interest in local history, specifically just how Philadelphians engage their vibrant past. Besides skimming through 18th century letters, Steve is also interested in music and travel.
