PREVIEW
N E W S F R O M T H E P E N N S Y LV A N I A A C A D E M Y O F T H E F I N E A R T S
SPRING 2016
PA FA’ S S C H O O L A N D C O M M U N I T Y PA R T N E R S H I P P R O G R A M F L O U R I S H E S
Diani Safdeye teaching Isaac A. Sheppard Elementary students during The Artists Garden.
In November, PAFA’s School and Community Partnership Program received an enormous boost—a $300,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation. The grant will provide the Museum Education Department the opportunity to continue developing what has already become a robust educational program, both at the museum and in Philadelphia communities in need of art education. Moreover, the grant will strengthen bonds that have formed between PAFA and members of these communities, including teachers and administrators, students and their families. Monica Zimmerman, PAFA’s Director of Museum Education, said, “The School and Community Partnership Program builds on PAFA’s history of doing outreach to underserved communities, but broadens and deepens that relationship and
will, we hope, provide a model for other cultural institutions to think about how they can use their collections and expertise to strengthen whole communities, beyond the one-time field trip experience.” The School and Community Partnership Program began in 2013, when PAFA partnered with Isaac A. Sheppard Elementary School in Philadelphia’s North Kensington neighborhood. With an initial grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and generous private support, the program has utilized art education to engage students creatively, and to overcome language barriers in schools with large Latino populations, such as the Sheppard Elementary and Julia de Burgos schools. “Art is amazing in the sense that creativity can help fulfill so
many of the things that we need,” said Diani Safdeye, PAFA’s School and Community Partnership Coordinator. “If you open that door to creativity, it can positively affect so many areas of your life.” The program involves teaching students, both in the classroom and at PAFA, how to speak about a work of art, and to do related art-making activities. Each grade of students comes to PAFA once per semester. In addition, PAFA officially invites students’ families to the museum two or three times each semester, such as on Sundays for Family Arts Academy, which has established continuity. The School and Community Partnership Program is not without challenges. Establishing relationships with designated community partners has meant working diligently to gain (continued on page 2)
IN THIS ISSUE 3
Emil Lukas & Alyson Shotz featured in Morris Gallery Program
6
Visiting Artists Program, Spring 2016 Make a Name at PAFA
9
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is America’s first school and museum of Fine Arts. A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States, PAFA is a recognized national leader in fine arts education. Nearly every major American artist has taught, studied, or exhibited at PAFA. The institution’s world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of an outstanding museum and extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work. David R. Brigham, President and CEO, Acting Museum Director Anthony DeCocinis, Chief Financial Officer James Gaddy, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Administration Clint Jukkala, Dean of the School of Fine Arts Melissa D. Kaiser, Executive Vice President of Development Heike Rass, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications Anne Stassen, Dean of Students André S.F. van de Putte, Dean of Enrollment PREVIEW is produced by PAFA’s Marketing Department and published twice a year. Design Laura B. Beard Copy Editors ZP Heller, JoAnn Loviglio, and Heike Rass.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kevin F. Donohoe, Chair Herbert S. Riband, Jr., Esq., Vice Chair & Secretary Thomas N. Pappas, Vice Chair James C. Biddle, Vice Chair
PECULIAR VELOCIT Y
C O N T I N U E S E X PA N D I N G AT PA FA Through April 3, 2016
Peculiar Velocity, which opened in December, is equal parts exhibition and thought experiment. David Dempewolf (Certificate 1998, MFA faculty 2011-present) curated the exhibition that highlights works by students and teachers from PAFA’s Certificate and MFA programs from 1992-1999, “who formed an ephemeral community through complementary aesthetic concerns.” The exhibition’s title refers to a process used to examine the universe’s ever-changing edges. While the universe continues expanding, as Hubble’s Constant suggests, the increased gravitational pull of smaller galaxies can result in other astral bodies moving at different rates, resulting in their peculiar velocities. Dempewolf draws the connection between the farthest reaches of the universe and the world of PAFA, where students and faculty interact, form professional connections, and are drawn to each other through their own gravitational forces of sorts. And just as Peculiar Velocity compels viewers
to consider the changing rates of cosmic expansion, Dempewolf has encouraged the alumni and faculty included in the show to change their own featured works midway through the exhibition. See Peculiar Velocity as it continues to expand and develop through April 3. Learn more at pafa.org/exhibitions/peculiar-velocity.
Thomas L. Bennett, Treasurer Anne E. McCollum, Assistant Treasurer
(Continued from page 1) PAFA’s School and Community Partnership Program Flourishes
James Alexandre
Francis J. Leto
Roger H. Ballou*
Sara Lomax-Reese
Reginald M. Browne*
Winston I. Lowe, Esq.
Donald R. Caldwell, Chair Emeritus
Brett Matteo
Valentino D. Carlotti*
James E. O’Neill, Esq.
help fulfill so many of the things that we need,”
Charles E. Chase
Sashi Reddi
Elliot H. Clark
Gretchen E. Roede
said Diani Safdeye, PAFA’s School and
Jonathan L. Cohen*
Theodore O. Rogers, Jr., Esq.*
Community Partnership Coordinator. “If you
Joseph D. Culley, Jr.
Steven L. Sanders
Monica Duvall DiLella, M.D.
William H. Schorling, Esq.
open that door to creativity, it can positively
Robert I. Friedman, Esq.
Arlen Shenkman
Pia Halloran
Henry B. du P. Smith
William P. Hankowsky
Richard W. Snowden
Edward T. Harvey
Julie D. Spahr
Susan M. Hendrickson
Richard W. Vague
Dorothy Mather Ix
Kenneth R. Woodcock*
Ro King* Marguerite Lenfest
*National Trustee
HONORARY
EX OFFICIO
Dorrance H. Hamilton
David R. Brigham, President and CEO
Frances M. Maguire EMERITUS John B. Bartlett Robert L. Byers, Sr. Charles E. Mather, III Samuel J. Savitz William A. Slaughter, Esq. Harold A. Sorgenti, Chair of Emeritus Trustees Richard E. Woosnam Deborah C. Zug
2
“Art is amazing in the sense that creativity can
J. Brien Murphy, M.D.
Gregory J. Fox, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Doug Martenson, Faculty Representative David Campbell Wilson, President of Alumni Council Linda Aversa Caldwell, President of Women’s Board
affect so many areas of your life.” The Festival de Primavera at PAFA.
the trust and support from school administrators, teachers, and students, as well as parents. Still, according to Zimmerman, the program has given PAFA the unparalleled chance “to partner regularly with community organizations also working in the neighborhood, like cultural organizations, libraries and churches, in order to reach students and parents during out-ofschool time.” While PAFA has hosted school tours for years, the School and Community Partnership Program has added a major educational dimension. “This program is different because it works not just with students, but with teachers, with parents, with community organizers, and with artists in the neighborhood,” Zimmerman said. “It uses art as therapy for first generation immigrant parents and helps reinforce the development of English language skills. It trains teachers and administrators to build visual art into classroom curricula, and installs art supplies and visual arts lessons in schools without art.” In addition, the program has enabled PAFA and its community partners to create a permanent art installation at each school, so that “the neighborhood invests creatively in the architec-
ture of their learning.” According to Safdeye, the program has already seen a great deal of success. “Progress is seeing a kid who hasn’t been to a museum a second or third time around,” she said. “That’s when you see changes. You see details in their artwork, in how they behave in this space, how to draw a story, and you see a feeling of pride.” As many Sheppard School students ultimately feed into Burgos School, the program is aiming to have profound, lasting effects on their arts education. “Many students visit PAFA as Sheppard students and then return to PAFA as Burgos students,” Safdeye concluded. “They now feel comfortable here.” With the William Penn Foundation’s grant, the School and Community Partnership Program will continue flourishing, adding resources and partnering with more schools. As Safdeye said, it will enable the museum to continue building relationships with communities by asking, “How can PAFA be a resource to you?” The School and Community Partnership Program is funded by grants from the William Penn Foundation, and from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional support provided by Dale P. and Richard D. Levy.
EMIL LUKAS
&
Exhibitions
A LY S O N S H O T Z
F EATU R E D I N M O R R I S G AL L E RY PR OGRAM After relaunching the Morris Gallery Program last fall with Mia Rosenthal: Paper Lens, PAFA has continued building upon this success with shows from Emil Lukas and Alyson Shotz. Both Lukas and Shotz continue exploring the overarching question of the 2015-2016 season of the Morris Gallery Program: How do artists make the invisible visible? Lukas’ show, which opened in mid-January, addresses this theme by focusing on the time between seeing and understanding what is being seen. His exhibition includes “thread” paintings—fascinating optical works consisting of thread layers intersecting over a wooden tray to create vibrant fields of color. In addition, Lukas features an immense, honeycomb-like sculpture that is designed to disorient and challenge conceptions of three-dimensional forms. “Both Lukas and Shotz are creating new large-scale sculptures for their respective exhibitions, which is exciting,” said
Jodi Throckmorton, PAFA’s Curator of Contemporary Art. “Lukas’ show is more about dissecting the way that we see and experience space; whereas, Shotz’s new commission is more about the effects of gravity and changes in natural light within the gallery.” Shotz has become known for her large-scale abstract sculptures that are comprised of non-traditional materials, such as glass beads and stainless steel wire, as well as non-traditional subjects for the visual arts, like math and science. For instance, a centerpiece of Shotz’s Morris Gallery Program exhibition, which opens in late April, will be a tapestry-like sculpture consisting of thousands of laser cut aluminum octagons that she designed. PAFA students assisted Shotz in making parts of the sculpture. Learn more at pafa.org/morrisgallery.
EMIL LUKAS
Through April 10, 2016
A LY S O N S H O T Z
April 21 - August 7, 2016 Opening Reception: April 20, 6 - 8 p.m. In 2015-16, The Morris Gallery Exhibition Program is supported by The Armand G. Erpf Fund, Marsha and Jeffrey Perelman, Angela Westwater, Sperone Westwater, New York, and an Anonymous donor. PAFA is thrilled to announce a new three-year partnership with SEI as Presenting Sponsor of the Morris Gallery. This partnership launches in April with the Alyson Shotz exhibition, and allows the continued development of the Academy’s dynamic contemporary programming. SEI, a leading global provider of investment processing, investment management, and investment operations solutions, is located in Oaks, Pennsylvania.
Emil Lukas, Large Lens, 2015, Cardboard, glue, and wood, 120 x 130 x 30 in.
5 TO WATC H
March 17 to April 15, 2016 Opening Reception: Thursday, March 17, 6 - 9 p.m. Avery Galleries, 100 Chetwynd Drive, Bryn Mawr, PA The fourth annual 5 to Watch exhibition highlights the work of five exceptional PAFA graduates and puts their work in dialogue with Avery Galleries’ distinguished collection of historic American art. This show features PAFA alumni, including Mariel Capanna, Nicole Michaud, Charles Newman, Madeline Peckenpaugh, and Jenn Warpole.
A detail from Alyson Shotz’s work in progress for her Morris Gallery exhibition.
pafa.org
3
School & Museum
PA FA R I T E S O F PA S S A G E :
Open S tudio Night and the Annual Stude nt Exhibition Annual Student Exhibition Preview Party Thursday, May 12, 4 - 8:30 p.m. Annual Student Exhibition Public Opening Friday, May 13, 5 - 8 p.m.
pafa.org/asepreview pafa.org/ase
Abigail Synnestvedt (Cert./BFA ’15)
Two PAFA rites of passage go hand-in-hand for preparing generations of students for a life of art-making: Open Studio Night and the Annual Student Exhibition. This year is no different, with preliminary work already underway in the bustling student studios of the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building. The unofficial countdown to the Annual Student Exhibition began with Open Studio Night on February 19. A tradition at PAFA, it is the one night each year that students enrolled in MFA, BFA, Certificate and Post-Baccalaureate programs open their studio doors to the public. Messy workspaces are tidied up, works in progress are displayed, and PAFA’s talented student artists welcome visitors to view and discuss their work. The feedback can spark new ideas and energize students as they develop their ideas leading up to the Annual Student Exhi-
Th e Po w e r o f PA FA’s Art Thera p y Pro g r am
4
bition, which this year will open May 13. The ASE is the largest and longest-standing exhibition of its kind, featuring works of art by PAFA’s Certificate, BFA and MFA students. On the night before the ASE opening, which immediately follows Commencement ceremonies, the PAFA Women’s Board hosts an annual Preview Party gala. The 2016 Preview Party, which is set for May 12, offers guests the first chance to view and purchase nearly 1,000 paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and installations created by students on the verge of their professional careers. The student artists will be present to discuss their work with guests. Students retain the majority of the purchase price of works sold, and all proceeds from the Preview Party support PAFA student scholarships. In the lead-up to the previous ASE, Abigail Synnestvedt
There is no question that art has the power to brighten our lives, expand our horizons, and make us more engaged with the world. As certified art therapist Dona Duncan has seen firsthand, art is also a powerful healing and supportive tool for people experiencing a range of symptoms from PTSD to depression. Last fall, Duncan embarked on the second year of the ARTZ in the Studio program. It is one of two classes at PAFA offered in partnership with ARTZ Philadelphia, which provides cultural and creative outlets for people with dementia and their caregivers. ARTZ in the Studio is an art-making class for people living with memory loss to express themselves through painting and drawing, and caregivers are invited to accompany them.
(Cert./BFA ’15) said that despite the pressures that are an inextricable part of the exhibition, staying true to one’s artistic vision is imperative. “My approach is that if I’m genuine, people will respond to the work,” she said. Megan Webb (Cert. ’16), whose art evolved from works on paper to fabric sculpture that she showed at last year’s ASE, said it is important to keep an open mind and be willing to switch gears instead of obsessing over deadlines. “If you have too much of a plan, you can get caught up in it, and it becomes a bit limiting,” she said. Drawing thousands of eager art collectors each year, the Annual Student Exhibition provides an exclusive opportunity to view and purchase work by gifted young artists who may become the next big names in the ever-changing world of art.
ARTZ at PAFA is a free series of conversations designed for visitors with dementia and their caregivers. Discussions are facilitated in the PAFA museum galleries by Susan Shifrin, founding director of ARTZ Philadelphia. “We create a place where people come in with anxiety and feeling isolated, and they become more talkative, more present, more energized,” Duncan said. “You look in their eyes and you can see there’s someone in there – there’s a life in there.” With increased recognition and acceptance of the power of art therapy, Duncan sees tremendous potential for this kind of programming. Duncan, a PAFA alumna, holds a degree in art therapy from Hahnemann Medical College. In addition to her art therapy work, she builds community and camaraderie among docents as president of the museum’s Docents Program.
Alumni & Faculty
PA FA Al um’s Cre ati ons Li ke ly Are Rig ht i n You r Po c ke t Work by PAFA’s accomplished alumni can be found everywhere, from galleries and museums to books and films. You might even have creations by one alumna in your pocket right now.
Award-winning sculptor and PAFA alumna Phebe Hemphill has worked since 2006 as a medallic sculptor at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. She is one of seven people at the sprawling facility who create, design and sculpt the reliefs that end up as currency, presidential and congressional medals, and commemorative coins. Hemphill graduated in 1987 from PAFA with a Certificate in painting. She also studied with famed sculptor and PAFA alumnus Evangelos Frudakis and worked for many years as a freelance sculptor at The Franklin Mint. Hemphill’s work includes many in the state quarters program, among them Yosemite, Gettysburg, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Hood. Other examples of her work can be found on the 2015 and 2013 Native American dollar coins, and dozens of special commemorative coins. “We go to sites and do research to create the designs,” she said during an interview in her cozy workspace, located not far from the massive machines that churn out shiny currency 24 hours a day. “The designs are shown to two major committees in Washington, D.C., and they make the final approval.” Her sculptures have been exhibited by the American Medallic Sculpture Association and the National Sculpture
Society, and at Philadelphia’s F.A.N. Gallery. She received the NSS’s prestigious Alex J. Ettel Grant in 2000 and the Franklin Mint’s celebrated Renaissance Sculpture Award in 2001. “Things have changed so much in the sculpture world, so much of it is digital,” she said. “We have the best of both worlds at the Mint.” She creates her coin designs using clay on dinner platesized plaster discs that resemble blank coins, as well as on her computer using 3-D imaging software. Unlike some of her colleagues, Hemphill continues to sculpt with both traditional and digital tools. “The best reason to do traditional work now is the ability to see depth perception,” she explained. “Since we’re working in such shallow relief, it’s a very important and viable way to do it.”
For m ore st ori es l i ke t hi s vi s it pafa.o rg/pafas to r ie s
FACU LT Y FO CU S :
MIC H AEL M OOR E Faculty member Michael Moore made the most of a recent invitation to host a workshop at a drawing conference in London, where he also was able to meet with an official from PAFA’s counterpart across the pond: the Royal Academy of Arts. Moore met in November with Charles Saumarez Smith, a renowned art historian and the Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy (RA), founded in 1768. “The Royal Academy will be having their 250th anniversary celebration in 2018 and I told him that we want to be part of that celebration and participate in any way we can,” Moore said. “He said that was terrific.” Moore said he and Saumarez Smith discussed each other’s institutions _ both esteemed museums and the oldest art schools in their respective countries _ and similar histories and philosophies of art and fine arts education. “He was very cordial, very sweet,” Moore said. “He was excited about the possibility of (PAFA) being involved somehow in their anniversary celebration.” Moore was in London to present at the 2015 Thinking Through Drawing conference in London. The theme of the biennial conference was “We All Draw.” At the conference, Moore led a workshop entitled “Dot, Line, Shape, Pattern, Preference, Form,” which encouraged particpafa.org
ipants to select the subjects and objects that best facilitate their ability to draw with increased attention to the sequential process from dot to line to shape to pattern. Afterward, the participants examined and discussed each other’s work and process. “The life of the drawing belongs to the person who made it, but the original dot and the final form belong to everyone,”
Moore explains. “No one person owns the dot, and everyone can share the form once it is concluded and released for observation and interpretation.”
Michael Moore (left) meeting with a student during Open Studio Night.
5
Alumni & Faculty
VISITING ARTISTS PROGRAM
SPRING ‘16
Lectures 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m., Historic Landmark Building. Free and open to the public. February 4
February 11
February 25
March 3
March 17
March 24/25
April 14
April 21
JILLIAN STEINHAUER
RACHEL ROSE
HANNELINE RØGEBERG
PETER SAUL
ALEJANDRO ALMANZA PEREDA
ALEX PAIK
ALEXI WORTH
GARY PANTER
Faculty Exhibitions One of the benefits of a PAFA education is its faculty comprised of working, actively exhibiting artists. In late 2015 and early 2016, it seemed like PAFA was everywhere: Exhibitions showcasing the work of the school’s talented teachers took place at a number of galleries throughout Philadelphia, New York and beyond. PAFA alumnus (MFA ’12) and new faculty member Doron Langberg (featured right) showed his recent paintings this fall at Danese/Corey in New York. Dean Clint Jukkala’s work was on view in the Receptive Fields show at Edward Thorp Gallery, also in New York. Alumna (MFA ’11) and PAFA faculty member Aubrey Levinthal, joined by current MFA student Megan Howland, recently had new paintings on view at the Nancy Margolis Gallery in New York. Levinthal also showed new paintings in her first solo exhibition, Spaghetti for Breakfast, at Gross McCleaf in Philadelphia, which The Philadelphia Inquirer called “an impressive debut.”
6
Faculty member Jennifer Packer had an exhibition earlier this year, Breathing Room, at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. in New York, and was praised by Artforum for “the way she constructs this state of perpetual becoming in her subjects.” Billy and Steven Dufala, both of whom are alumni as well as faculty, had an exhibition, Waste Dreams, at Fleisher Ollman Gallery in Philadelphia described by Hyperallergic as a “wry take on the dystopia of consumer culture.” Faculty Jan Baltzell’s new work was subject of a solo exhibition at Schmidt Dean Gallery in Philadelphia, and Alex Kanevsky also showed new paintings at Dolby Chadwick Gallery in San Francisco. Faculty member Jill Rupinski had a solo exhibition of her work at Cerulean Gallery. Work by alumna and faculty member Sarah Peters was featured in two exhibitions: The Swerve at Ortega y Gasset in Brooklyn, an exhibition exploring conceptual approaches to pattern, and Foundation Barin Presents: Redeux (Sort of) at the Kai Matsumiya Gallery in New York. Doron Langberg, Amy, 2015, oil on linen 24 x 18 in.
Museum
M A X F I E L D PA R R I S H AND DREAM GARDEN GAIN RECOGNITION Last fall, a historical marker for Maxfield Parrish was unveiled outside the Curtis Center on 6th Street. Just inside the building sits Parrish’s magnificent Dream Garden, a 15- x 49-foot jewel of a mosaic consisting of over 100,000 pieces of favrile glass.
A PAFA alumnus celebrated for commercial and graphic art, as well as his utilization of art in advertising, Parrish was commissioned by Cyrus Curtis, publisher of The Saturday Evening Post, to create Dream Garden in collaboration with Louis Comfort Tiffany’s studios for the lobby of the Curtis Publishing Company Building in 1915. A century later, the historical marker dedication was doubly significant because PAFA also owns Parrish’s masterpiece. After the piece was put up for sale in 1998, a public outcry halted a potential sale. PAFA, through the assistance of several charitable organizations, took ownership of Dream Garden, ensuring its celebrated alumnus’ magnificent work would forever remain in Philadelphia.
“All of us at PAFA are thrilled to see one of our best-known alumni receive this recognition for his life and work,” said Harry Philbrick, PAFA’s Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum. “What better a place to celebrate and honor Maxfield Parrish than at the home of Dream Garden, one of his most loved works and a cherished part of PAFA’s renowned permanent collection.” Philbrick spoke at the dedication ceremony along with Celeste A. Morello, the marker’s nominator, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Historical Marker Program Coordinator Karen Galle, Philadelphia City Councilman Mark Squilla, and Keystone Property Group President Bill Glazer. They were joined by many guests who were eager to celebrate increased visibility and appreciation for one of Philadelphia’s artistic gems.
BECOME A PEALE CIRCLE MEMBER to join an exclusive tour of the Dream Garden and Washington Square galleries on April 7. pafa.org/PealeCircle.
An Array of Public Programs for PROCESSION: THE ART OF NORMAN LEWIS Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis, which is on view through April 3, showcases the broad range of Lewis’ artistic styles and subjects that inspired the artist throughout his prolific career. Such a range of subject matter has enabled PAFA to create a wide array of fascinating public programs to accompany this exhibition, and to enhance the museum’s cultural partnerships. The programs have already included a trolley tour of iconic African American images in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, an Observe and Create program on Lewis’ use of abstract expressionism, and an Educators Evening that offered teachers a free behind-thescenes tour of the show. PAFA hosted panel discussions on art and activism (in partnership with 900AM-WURD), and the realities of being a black artist in Philadelphia during the 1960s and 1970s, which included panelists Moe Brooker, Martha Jackson Jarvis, and Charles Burwell moderated by A. M. Weaver. In addition, PAFA’s Traveling Lecture Series has added another dimension of programming, bringing museum educators to other institutions to discuss Procession. This winter, PAFA is partnering with the Philadelphia Jazz Project, commissioning jazz musician Marcell Bellinger to compose a piece of music inspired by Lewis’ paintings, performed at a February concert. The Philadelphia Jazz Project will return to PAFA for a March event on the intersecting worlds of musicians and artists, entitled Jazz! Art! A Dialogue about Inspiration. Norman Lewis, Masquerade, 1967, Oil on canvas, 77 x 29 1/4 in., Private Collection © Estate of Norman W. Lewis; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
pafa.org
7
Museum
PAFA’ S TR A D I T I O N O F IN STA L L AT I O N P HOTO G R A P H Y
1893
Less than a week after the opening of Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis last November, Barbara Katus, PAFA’s Manager of Imaging Services, was methodically making her way through the exhibition with the help of her work study student, Gary Pergolini. A Hasselblad H4D digital camera was mounted on a tripod and tethered to a laptop on a rolling cart, enabling Katus to see and edit the images of Lewis’ vibrant works as she captured them on screen. This is the process of installation photography, and although the technology has changed dramatically over the years, this practice dates back to the late 19th century at PAFA. For each shot, Katus conferred with her student apprentice, who then made adjustments on the camera and occasionally stood before a work holding a strip of colors in order to obtain an accurate reading. Katus, meanwhile, kept her eyes on the screen, using grid lines, a live video feed, and a high-powered zooming tool to focus and capture a 16 bit, 300 megabyte image file. “The purpose of this type of photography,” said Katus, who has been doing installation photography at PAFA for the past five years, “is to document the exhibition section by section in order to create and preserve a record of the content and the way in which it was designed and installed.” PAFA has traditionally documented both special exhibitions and its renowned Annual Exhibitions, the photos of which can be found in PAFA’s Archives. According to In the Service of Art: A Guide to the Archives of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, written by former PAFA archivist Cheryl Leibold, some of the earliest installation photographs still in existence date back to the Annual Exhibition of 1877. These photos have become a treasure trove for preserving PAFA’s storied past. Interestingly, Katus noted that while installation photography continues to focus on creating an exhibition’s historic record, the rise of social media has necessitated these photos to be aesthetically pleasing as well. “There’s no reason the images cannot serve the dual purposes of documentation and promotion,” Katus said. Meanwhile, storage continues to be an important issue, not only for installation photography, but for all digital assets. Even the best storage devices are not foolproof, meaning that Katus and her colleagues at PAFA are faced with the challenge of finding the best possible method to store and maintain digital files and to migrate the files to better and better storage devices as technology changes and improves. “These are just machines,” Katus said, “so the challenge is the ongoing commitment to the maintenance and preservation of digital images—can we make these images last forever?”
8
1906
1976
MAKE A NAME AT PAFA PAFA sets goal to establish 20+ new named scholarships and fellowships, raising $200,000 for PAFA students in 2015-16. Each year, PAFA awards more than $3.6 million in scholarships; this figure has grown by more than 200% in the last decade. Clint Jukkala, PAFA’s new Dean of the School, underscores that, “Virtually all of our students—85 %—require some kind of scholarship funding to reduce their tuition expenses. It is vital that we continue to grow and renew scholarships reserves in order to attract the finest caliber of students for our undergraduate and graduate programs. Scholarship dollars remain PAFA’s greatest financial need.”
This year PAFA launches a new initiative— Make a Name at PAFA—to grow and sustain support for this critical area and to enhance the network of PAFA students and patrons. With gifts of $5,000 or more, donors participating in Make a Name at PAFA will have the opportunity to name scholarships and fellowships: by area of study, degree program, or diversity recruitment initiative. Donors may also establish undesignated scholarships. In the process, supporters can develop meaningful lasting relationships with the students that benefit from their generosity and receive an array of attractive benefits and recognition. To learn more visit pafa.org/MakeAName or contact Elizabeth Racheva, Vice President of Major Gifts, at 215-391-4809 or eracheva@pafa.org.
D estination:
AR T B A S E L M I A MI BEACH In December, a dynamic group of Peale Circle supporters, PAFA Trustees, and contemporary art enthusiasts joined Harry Philbrick, Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum, and Jodi Throckmorton, Curator of Contemporary Art, for a curated day of cutting edge art in Miami. Guests visited the renowned private collection of Debra and Dennis Scholl, toured select booths at Art Basel to meet with leading artists and dealers, and experienced the UNTITLED art fair located directly on South Beach. PAFA’s presence at Art Basel Miami Beach reflects the museum’s renewed commitment to collecting contemporary art and to providing unparalleled access and creative gatherings for its patrons with an interest in art being made now.
Jodi Throckmorton, PAFA’s Curator of Contemporary Art, chats with dealer Mark Wehby of Kravets/Wehby Gallery in front of a work by artist Nina Chanel Abney at UNTITLED.
SAVE THE DATE pafa.org
Save the date for next year’s Art Basel Miami visit, Thursday, December 1, 2016 (details to follow in summer 2016). Contact Elizabeth Racheva, Vice President of Major Gifts, at 215-391-4809 or eracheva@pafa.org to receive more information.
Help PAFA nurture the next generation of great artists today. Make a Name at PAFA!
1 15 T H A N N U A L STUDENT EXHIBITION
May 13 – June 5, 2016
PREVIEW PARTY
May 12, 4-8:30 p.m.
Hosted by the Women’s Board of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts pafa.org/asepreview
Public Opening: May 13, 5-8 p.m. Gabriel Echaveste MFA ’15., Kathryne (detail), 2014, oil on panel
9
Events
A bronze pour demonstration with PAFA students.
A student painting from a live model in Al Gury’s class.
PAFA’s Board Chair Kevin Donohoe enjoying a live auction held during the annual Bacchanal Wine Gala.
Students and faculty listening to Traction Company artists duringConvocation in 2015.
Students Hanna Chen (left) and Asiana Ouk (right) sell prints during the annual Student Print Sale in December.
SPRING 2016 AT PAFA MA RCH Art at Lunch
Wednesday, March 2, 12 - 1 p.m. World War I and American Art
Art in Process
Wednesday, March 2, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 -9 p.m.: Open hours: historic Cast Hall 6 -9 p.m.: Futures Past reception and panel discussion
Art in Process
Wednesday, March 16, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 - 7:30 p.m.: Artist Talk with Emily and Will Brown
Visiting Artists Program: Rachel Rose
Thursday, March 17, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.
5 to Watch: Opening Reception
Thursday, March 17, 6 – 9 p.m. Avery Galleries, Bryn Mawr
Visiting Artists Program: Alexi Worth
Undergraduate Open House
Member Workshop: Watercolor with James Toogood*
Family Arts Academy
Thursday, March 3, 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, March 6, 2 - 4 p.m. Emojis
Art in Process
Wednesday, March 9, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 - 9 p.m.: Game Night! 7 p.m.: Graffito Works Performance
Young Professionals Night: Procession* Wednesday, March 9, 5 - 9 p.m.
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, March 13, 2 - 4 p.m. Kinetic Constructs
Jazz! Art! A Dialogue about Inspiration Sunday, March 13, 4 p.m.
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, March 16, 12 - 1 p.m. Jazz and the Harlem Renaissance
10
Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20, 2 - 4 p.m. Street Prints
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, March 23, 12 - 1 p.m. Representing the Sea in the American Imagination, 1760 - 1815
Art in Process
Wednesday, March 23, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 - 7 p.m.: The Member Lounge at Art in Process * 7 p.m.: Poetry reading by Micheal O’Siadhail
Visiting Artists Program: Peter Saul
Thursday, March 24, 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Friday, March 25, 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, March 30, 12 - 1 p.m. Memory and Loss in Post-Civil War American Art
Art in Process
Wednesday, March 30, 5 - 9 p.m. 7 p.m.: Art Sanctuary performance
A PR I L New Student Weekend
Friday & Saturday, April 1 & 2
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, April 3, 2 - 4 p.m. Jacobs Ladder
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, April 6, 12 - 1 p.m. Digitization and the Preservation of the Past
Art in Process
Wednesday, April 6, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 - 9 p.m.: Open hours: historic Cast Hall 6 - 8 p.m.: Review Panel Philadelphia
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, April 10, 2 - 4 p.m. Make Music
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, April 13, 12 - 1 p.m. Photography’s Use in the Late 19th Century
Art in Process
Wednesday, April 13, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 - 7:30 p.m.: Lecture by Stuart Shils 6 - 7:30 p.m.: Review of local contemporary art exhibitions
Curator Conversation with Anna Marley, Curator of Historical American Art* Wednesday, April 13, 6 - 7 p.m.
Visiting Artists Program: Alex Paik
Thursday, April 14, 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Dance Place Step Team performing during the Family Arts Festival last October.
PAFA curators Jodi Throckmorton (left) and Anna Marley.
Museum Education’s Diani Safdeye holds up a sign in support of PAFA’s Giving Tuesday campaign.
Ruth Fine (center), guest curator of Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis, speaks with exhibition lender Harmon Kelley during the VIP reception in November.
A large crowd gathered for the VIP reception of Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis.
Continuing Education Open House
Art in Process
Art Exploration Trip to Boston*
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, May 25, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 - 7 p.m.: The Member Lounge at Art in Process*
Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, April 17, 2 - 4 p.m. Public Postcards
Wednesday, May 4, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 - 9 p.m.: Open hours: historic Cast Hall 6 p.m.: Philadelphia Sculptors Featuring Judy Pfaff 7 p.m.: New Collectors Series
Wednesday, April 20, 12 - 1 p.m. Alyson Shotz
Wednesday, May 4, 12 - 1 p.m. Graduating PAFA Students and the Annual Student Exhibition
Art in Process
Family Arts Academy
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, April 20, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 - 8 p.m.: Alyson Shotz: Morris Gallery Opening Reception 6 - 8 p.m.: Pricing Your Artwork: A Panel Discussion 7 p.m.: Poetry reading by Terri Witek and Cyriaco Lopes 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.: Blindfolded Art Making
Visiting Artists Program: Gary Panter
Thursday, April 21, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, April 24, 2 - 4 p.m. DIY Legos
Art at Lunch
Wednesday, April 27, 12 - 1 p.m. The Art of the Hunt in America
Art in Process
Wednesday, April 27, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 p.m.: Brandywine Workshop lecture series
Alumni Gallery Opening: Clint Jukkala Curates Wednesday, April 27, 5:30 – 9 p.m.
MAY Family Arts Academy
Sunday, May 1, 2 - 4 p.m. Printing in the Sun
pafa.org
Sunday, May 8, 2 - 4 p.m. Family Maps
Art in Process
Wednesday, May 11, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 p.m.: Brandywine Workshop lecture series 6 – 9 p.m.: Game night!
115th Annual Student Exhibition Preview Party Thursday, May 12, 4 – 8:30 p.m. Hosted by the Women’s Board of PAFA
115th Annual Student Exhibition Public Opening Friday, May 13, 5 – 8 p.m.
Family Arts Academy
Sunday, May 15, 2 - 4 p.m. Family Arts Academy Exhibition
Wednesday, May 23 - 26 Contact Jenny Dutile at Jdutile@pafa.org for details.
Art in Process
J U NE Art in Process
Wednesday, June 1, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 - 9 p.m.: Open hours: historic Cast Hall 6 p.m.: A performance by Elizabeth Jane Hill featuring Nancy Jane Small
Art in Process
Wednesday, June 8, 5 - 9 p.m. 5 p.m.: Brandywine Workshop lecture series
Art in Process
Wednesday, June 15, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 – 9 p.m.: Game Night!
Art in Process
Wednesday, June 22, 5 - 9 p.m.
Art in Process
Wednesday, June 29, 5 - 9 p.m.
Art in Process
Wednesday, May 18, 5 - 9 p.m. 6 p.m.: An In-Person Media Share by Team Sunshine Performance Corporation 7 p.m.: Poetry reading by Terri Witek and Cyriaco Lopes
Young Collectors Series*
Wednesday, May 18, 7 p.m.
F O R E V E N T D E TA I L S V I S I T PA FA .O R G / E V E N T S
* TO RSVP FOR MEMBER P R O G R A M S C O N TA C T R S V P @ PA FA .O R G O R 2 1 5 -9 7 2 -2 07 7 .
11
PAFA INFORMATION
Non-Profit.org U.S. Postage PAID Philadelphia, PA Permit No. 2879
pafa.org / 215-972-7600 128 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
Historic Landmark Building / 118 North Broad Street, Philadelphia Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building / 128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia Museum Hours Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays and legal holidays. Admission / 215-972-2060 Adults $15; Senior (60+) and Students with I.D. $12; Youth ages (13-18) $8; Children (12 and under, excluding groups) FREE. Portfolio Museum Store / 215-972-2075 Closed on Monday Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Members receive a 10% discount. PAFA Café / 215-972-2058 Monday: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Membership / 215-972-2077 Members enjoy free admission and other benefits. For information: pafa.org/membership Tours Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tours are free with admission. To arrange a group tour for adults, seniors and school groups, e-mail tours@pafa.org or visit Facility Rentals / 215-972-1609 The Historic Landmark Building and Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building provide elegant and dramatic settings for entertaining. For information: pafa.org/rentals
at adjacent Parkway Corporation parking lots. Tickets must be validated at the Museum Admissions desk. Academic Programs / 215-972-7625 PAFA offers a four-year Certificate, BFA, BFA in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania, Post-Baccalaureate, MFA, and Low-Residency MFA. For information: 215-972-7625 or admissions@pafa.edu. Accessibility The accessible entrance for both the Historic Landmark Building and the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building is located in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building Lobby. Wheelchairs are available, and restrooms are accessible. Important Phone Numbers Alumni Gallery 215-391-4187
Library 215-972-2030
Business Partners Program 215-972-2002
Marketing 215-391-4184
Continuing Education 215-972-7632
Museum Front Desk 215-972-2069
Development 215-972-2077 Museum Education 215-391-4806
Transportation The museum is near the Jefferson and Suburban train stations, SEPTA bus and trolley stops, and PATCO’s High Speed Line. For SEPTA information: 215-580-7800 or www.septa.org. Discounted parking is available
Membership 215-972-2077
Blick Art Materials 215-972-2035
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ public programs are funded in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency). General operating support provided, in part, by
@PAFAcademy
C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S
PAFA CE offers art classes and workshops, lectures and seminars for adults and high school students at all levels of ability. For the complete spring schedule visit pafa.edu/ce.
Spring 2016
PAFA is proud to partner with ARTZ Philadelphia to offer programming for those living with dementia and their care partners, friends and family.
ARTZ in the Studio
6 weeks, Fridays, April 8 – May 13, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Art-making as a creative form of self-expression. Led by Dona Duncan, registered art therapist.
ARTZ in the Galleries
4 sessions, Mondays February 15, March 21, April 18 & May 16, 11 a.m.m - 2 p.m.
Master Classes, Workshops and Lectures Woodcut Workshop with Dan Miller March 5 – 6 Painting in the Dark with Neysa Grassi March 19 – 20 The Figure in Pastel with Scott Noel April 2 – 3 Master Class with Stuart Shils April 14 – 17
• Public Lecture: Wednesday, April 13, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Watercolor Workshop with Susan Van Campen April 30 & May 1 Plein Air Painting in Bermuda with Joe Sweeney & James Toogood May 19– 25 Portrait in Pastels with Ellen Eagle June 6– 10
An interactive program for museum visitors with dementia and their care partners. Facilitated by Dr. Susan Shifrin, Director of ARTZ Philadelphia.
Summer Academy for High School Students July 5 – August 5 A five-week, college-level art-making experience for high school students. For more information, visit www.pafa.edu/ summeracademy.
PAFA and Morris Arboretum
PAFA members will receive a 10% discount on all Morris Arboretum Continuing Education classes for adults and Growing Minds classes for youth. Learn more and register at online. morrisarboretum.org/classes, or call 215-247-5777 ext. 125 Behind the Scenes at Morris Arboretum Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Free. Please RSVP: 215-972-7632
Still Life Workshop with Christine Lafuente June 20– 24 Master Class with Elizabeth Osborne June 25– 26
Above left: Susan Van Campen, Summer Bouquet in Green Bowl, watercolor, 30 x 40 in.
CE Open House | Saturday, April 16 Free. RSVP 215-972-7632
Member Perks!
Friend level members and above enjoy 10% off all continuing education classes at PAFA. Visit pafa.org/membership or call 215-972-2077 to join.