Art

'Painted Metaphors': Remnants From The Ancient Mayas

Posted Fri, 04/10/2009 - 20:04 by lindsay

   Curating an exhibit of ancient Maya artifacts is somewhat akin to participating in an international high-stakes scavenger hunt: One is constantly in competition with looters, and the prize might be fragmented, damaged, or even completely nonexistent.
   But one thing remains constant: The prize is always worth the chase, even when it’s shattered into a million pieces.
Or so explorers and curators and the University of Pennsylvania have believed for many years, currently evidenced by a new exhibit on display at the UPenn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, titled “Painted Metaphors: Pottery and Politics of the Ancient Maya.” The exhibit will remain at the museum through Jan. 31, when it will embark on a multi-city national tour. 

Charting Adventure At The Franklin

Posted Fri, 04/03/2009 - 01:00 by lindsay

Contrary to common belief, Galileo Galilei was not the official inventor of the telescope. However, he was the man who converted it from a novelty plaything, made of glass and mirrors, into a genuine instrument of science, used to document uncharted territories in the skies.
A new, exclusive exhibit opening Saturday at The Franklin depicts the telescope’s transformation from curious oddity into a tool used for great scientific advancement in an exhibition titled “Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy,” on view through Sept. 7. Spread over 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, “Galileo” is a tribute to the intersection of art and science, as beautifully constructed, gleaming inventions take up every corner of the generous exhibition space.

Small But MIghty Antique Portraits

Posted Fri, 03/27/2009 - 01:00 by lindsay

Diminutive in size but extravagant in their rich detail and careful execution, portrait miniatures are under the magnifying glass at this year’s Philadelphia Antiques Show, running April 18 to 21 at Pier One in The Navy Yard.
“Patriots and Presidents: Philadelphia Portrait Miniatures, 1660 - 1860,” a collection of small-scale portraits, chronicles more than a century of antique personal momentos, showcasing 75 portrait miniatures from collections across the region. Read more.

Art In The Shadow Of Cézanne

Posted Fri, 02/27/2009 - 09:24 by lindsay

   Thirteen years ago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art held a serious retrospective of Paul Cézanne’s work, featuring 100 paintings  and 80 of his drawings and watercolors in a huge blockbuster show that took Philadelphia by storm.
   This time around, “Cézanne and Beyond” is like a collection of ghost stories, cobbled together with Cézanne at the center as 18 artists attempt to both reconcile and embrace the impact of the master Impressionist’s work on their own.

PAFA: Tooker In A New Light

Posted Fri, 01/30/2009 - 01:00 by lindsay

  To enter a room filled with George Tooker’s work is to expose oneself to the odd sensation of being neither here nor there, suspended in an uncomfortable half-life conjured up by the artist. For Mr. Tooker’s best-known works specialize in evoking the feeling that one’s most private thoughts are on display under the garish light of day, stopped in time for viewers to gawk at in a state of frozen animation.