Go Fish

We’d love to welcome you to OFF THE WALL/DIRTY FRANK’S tomorrow night, SEPTEMBER 26, 7-10 PM, as we officially raise the curtain on TOGETHER and by ourselves, the new solo show from NATALIE HOPE MCDONALD. The 72 works pictured here — and installed by curator JODY SWEITZER with a possible nod to the life aquatic — are only a little more than half of the 138 paintings and 3D works on display! The artist will of course be in the house. Plus, we’ll offer the usual amenities of any OPENING RECEPTION: great conversation, company and jukebox music, as well as light hors d’oeuvres and your fave drinks poured by ROSE COSSABONE. See you there!

Art for All, All Day Long

Combine the amazing new show from NATALIE HOPE MCDONALD, 138 works strong, with the community members now preparing to bring their own art to one of our famous ART MART gatherings...and you get a SUNDAY that is definitely a wildly creative FUNDAY. Of course, HEATHER RAQUEL PHILLIPS will be behind the bar, with a heavy pour of the fun. It all starts at 2:00. So bump up that brunch or get in those errands right now. You won't want to miss today (9/22) at DIRTY FRANK'S and OFF THE WALL -- and we don't want to miss you. See you this afternoon!

Paging Guinness

Not the beer. The record book...well, at least the OFF THE WALL record book. This shot, taken hours ago of curator JODY SWEITZER starting to co-install our newest show with artist NATALIE HOPE MCDONALD, only vaguely suggests the scope of this new installation. When all is said and done, we expect TOGETHER AND BY OURSELVES to feature some 140 distinctive works of art, not just surpassing but altogether shattering our old record of 101. WOW! Come in tonight and check this out (and consider acquiring a piece!). Return for the OPENING RECEPTION this Thursday, September 26, 7-10 PM.

A Dolls' Case

We neglected to say in our last post that Leah MacDonald is one of five artists to take jury awards in INLIQUID TOASTS 25. Another is J.A. PANETTA, who won BEST USE OF MATERIALS for her seven doll assemblages front and center in our 3D case. Alternating between the expected, unexpected and a couple of doses of the macabre, the work riffs freely on the traditional folk poem “Monday’s Child.” The dolls, spread out for good measure, draw viewers into the space. So far, three have sold individually, but the entire set is also available for purchase. Reflecting on the installation, the artist carries her unique sensibilities into her statement. “I was raised not by wolves, but by a single kind and righteous wolf,” muses Judy. “This creature taught me mercy and compassion—debatably, behaviors at odds with contemporary values. What our culture identifies as coarse or fine, lewd or decent, profane or sacred is confounding. The art exposes a topsy-turvy world view shared by a population hell-bent on destroying itself. I also enjoy a good chew bone now and again.”

J.A. PANETTA
“Monday’s Child”
8.5 x 27.5 x 3.5 (full series)
bisque, polymer clay, acrylic, found doll clothes and mohair
975. for the full series
150. for each doll

Splendor in Tones of Silver

The right side of our Wall for INLIQUID TOASTS 25 features a compelling array of work, all of it in living BLACK AND WHITE. Two of these pieces are extraordinary silver prints from LEAH MACDONALD, whom we are excited to welcome to our space for the first time. “I began my art career as a traditional B&W film photographer and this medium remains essential, sometimes as the foundation of my collages,” says the artist. “My work is a dialogue among my imagination, my curiosity, my imperfections and my desires. We are neither one thing nor another—not fully our past and its traumas, not fully the beauty we seek. We are all of these, accreted layer by layer over years. And we are the space between.”

LEAH MACDONALD
“No. 704” (first image)
18 x 14 framed
#analog silver photograph
500.

“No. 1642” (second image)
16 x 16 framed
analog silver photograph
500.

Last Week of Toasting InLiquid

The days are dwindling on another phenomenal OFF THE WALL collaboration. We’re deeply honored to host one of several celebrations of a quarter century of INLIQUID (inliquid.org) efforts to make great Philadelphia art and artists seen. Our joint venture features 67 works from 33 members of this superlative organization, there at the dawning of the digital age as a true pioneer in online exhibitions and portfolios. Equally key to their mission are actual installations like INLIQUID TOASTS 25. We'll post a number of works over the next several days, and we urge you to experience this show in person if you haven't seen it yet.

Seeing Double

We’re down to our final two days of BRICK BY BRICK 2. Keeping the theme of twos going, SOPHIA DELL’ARCIPRETE’s “This Conversation Is #Queer” series has had viewers looking twice. What’s more, our jury accepted #two of the artist’s pieces...awarding the pair BEST CONVERSATION. (And wouldn’t you know it: #2 was the one that sold.) This is a brilliant feat of digital handiwork, since there is ONLY ONE model in each of these inspired photos! But Sophia's intention goes deeper. “This body of work serves as a bridge of dialogue,” she tells us, “offering viewers a glimpse into the nuances of sexuality within the context of the mundane. By highlighting these themes, I aim to foster recognition and representation, particularly among audiences who may not have easy access to queer content.”

002-Untitled (This Conversation is Queer)
16 x 24
digital photograph
250.

004-Untitled (This Conversation is Queer)
16 x 24
digital photograph
250.

33 to Celebrate 25

We are pleased and proud to introduce the 33 artists of INLIQUID TOASTS 25 (ILT25), a special juried exhibition celebrating a landmark moment for a groundbreaking leader of our city’s arts community. This members-only show significantly expands our own community — since most artists are marking their debut in our space — and shows the inclusive, unifying power of a nonprofit organization that has been a trailblazer from the advent of the digital age, connecting artists to audiences and countless thousands of Philadelphians to inspiring, original art, in person and online. We can’t wait to welcome 60+ works to our Wall and 3D case. ILT25 goes up on Saturday, July 20...continues through Friday, September 20...and officially opens with a collaborative reception that also welcomes all InLiquid members on Thursday, August 1, 7-10 PM. See you there!

Red, White and Blue...

And pink and green and more. No national flag could carry as many hues as we find in LINDA LEE ALTER’s sign art in BRICK BY BRICK 2. But this work is not about America’s or any country’s independence. It's about individuals and communities seeking personal freedom. Lee explains, “My artwork....celebrates the words of Black lesbian mother, activist, warrior and poet Audre Lorde — about the need for us to work together to bring about positive social change.” This Independence Day we also remind you that should you undertake such a quest this year, please prioritize GOTV activism and casting a ballot this November. It's the only way to ensure there’s no military parade taking place on the next Fourth of July.

LINDA LEE ALTER
“Birds of All Feathers”
9.875 x 36
permanent inks printed on film,
mounted onto aluminum
370.

True to Herself

We haven’t shown RACE KUHN and her work in collage for very long, but we feel we already know a good deal about her honest, unflinching creative process. Her debut in our space came at the end of last year, with a piece suggesting “a deep spiritual awakening to an authentic self.” That collage sold to a fellow OFF THE WALL artist. After a successful solo show at the Cosmopolitan Club, Race now returns in BRICK BY BRICK 2 with a new multimedia work that continues this examination of identity. “I pretended, lied, prayed, hid, killed part of myself, reinvented, and came out at 50,” the artist confides. “Time can heal as easily as society can destroy.”

RACE KUHN
“Never Ending Story”
12 x 12
collage and acrylic
300.

Pride Always

Yes, it’s July 1st. But that doesn't end BRICK BY BRICK 2 — which continues through Friday, July 19 — anymore than it diminishes the Pride we carry with us each and every day. JACK NICHOLAS RONEY, one of our show’s new artists and most eloquent voices, captures this spirit with his images and words. “The queer self is only political because there are those who seek to oppress it; indeed, it is the beautiful means to an unidentifiable end,” reflects Jack. “Pulled from various projects exploring identity and politics, these images represent both queer existence and the fight for the spaces they inhabit.” And please try to see the second photo in person. The details are wonderful and deserve close attention.

“Let Queens Read”
12 x 16 framed (8.25 x 10.75 image)
digital photograph
125.

“Mrs. Hot Pink in the Lounge”
18 x 24 framed (13 x 19 image)
digital photograph
250.

Last Day, First Day

Technically, these are the final hours of Pride Month ‘24. But it’s also the first day of the rest of our fight. All through the history of this battle — for LGBTQIA+ rights, for human rights, for true equality — we have marched with banners and hung banners, expressing our passions and point of view. In BRICK BY BRICK 2 and in our community in general, HEATHER RAQUEL PHILLIPS is the artist who holds high and best represents this proud tradition. “Queer Film Icons” is her newest foray into this medium. On one level, it connects with queerness in show business and its interpretation in movies. But the artist tells us the series is part of a broader thesis: “A secret code of language, a resistance through the exaggerated, a system of identification. Queer communication can be as bold or discrete as it wants to be, but in any case, it is always a tool for connection.”

“Queer Film Icons: Cruising”
15 x 14
double-sided, mixed-media banner
200.

“Queer Film Icons: A Friend of Dorothy”
17 x 13
double-sided, mixed-media banner
350.

Battle Ready

There are a couple of objects in our BRICK BY BRICK 2 3D case that are explicitly ART ONLY, not for use. These would comprise NAZ KHOURY’s “Harness,” which is also featured in her prize-winning photography collaboration with SHOSHANA ISAACS, and this work: JESSICA REITMEYER’s blown glass masterwork, which is as visually stunning as it is threatening. The artist, who happily returns to our space for the first time since the inaugural BRICK BY BRICK in 2019 and currently has the honor of studying at The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, makes no bones about her creative intent. “This is the weapon I imagine myself, a queer Femme, welding in a riot against those who wish to harm me and my community,” says the artist. The jury took notice and bestowed our WAY GAY Award, named for our partner in this show, William Way LGBT Community Center.

JESSICA REITMEYER
“Ready to Riot”
3” sphere with 12” chain
sodaglass and borosilicate glass
300.

Not Just a Kiss

As we continue to celebrate the artists and the prize winners of BRICK BY BRICK 2, we bring to the fore the latest sale from the show — only last night — which our jury called out with an award for BEST KISS. AUSTIN DIMARE, who first showed with us in the 2022 edition of UNDER $100, has a special flair for intimate portraiture, and he speaks to this penchant in describing his painting’s ephemeral, yet lingering quality: “A passing moment of intimacy, where both individuals do not know where this could lead, and for how long. Remembering that soft feeling even if for a moment in time.”

AUSTIN DIMARE
“Remember Me When You Go”
12 x 12
oil on canvas
300.

Last Call for InLiquid Members

We've been decidedly low-key about our next juried show because the opportunity is available only to a relatively small number of artists in our community: the members of INLIQUID. We wish more of you were part of this groundbreaking nonprofit organization and qualified to submit work for this show. The guidelines for entries, which close TOMORROW (6/27) are here: https://www.inliquid.org/opportunity-folder/open-call-25years-off-the-wall. We have admired INLIQUID.ORG for all of its 25 years (and, yes, this is an anniversary show!). When it arrived on the Philly arts scene in 1999, it leveraged the moment of the digital revolution -- connecting member artists to their own portfolio web pages, organizing online art shows before the concept was widely accepted and building a network of spaces around the city to exhibit artwork. Some 1,000 shows later, InLiquid is as vital as ever and remains committed to a simple, clarion mission: making art and artists seen. We are proud to open our Wall and 3D case to their members whose work is juried into this special show, running July 21 through September 20. We look forward to a last round of entries and a wonderful way to cap this summer at OFF THE WALL!

Colorific

One of the masters of palette in our community is the indomitable CYN WHY, who often appends a question mark to her moniker...but is rarely that uncertain when it comes to the creative process. Our BRICK BY BRICK 2 jury awarded her BEST POP OF COLOR for this first piece, but it could just as easily have applied to her second work, too.(Notably, as of this writing, the prize-winning painting is still available for purchase!) The artist pulls no punches about her approach to this newest body of work: “These pieces are a 98% just sexy smartassery. There are artistic choices I could speak too much about — the punk touches...and the 80s aesthetic vs. what Being Gay In The 80s *meant*...and the idea of how long Queer people have had to sanitize our existence for the sake of acceptance, plus some other stuff that’s personal to me about these pieces. But mostly I just wanted to make some double entendres and continue to torture myself with drawing hands.”

CYN WHY
“Let Us Pray”
10 x 8
gouache and acrylic ink on Bristol,
mounted on wood panel
150.

“Speak No Evil”
10 x 8
gouache and acrylic ink on Bristol,
mounted on wood panel
150.

In Mourning

We have been in shock this past week with the shuttering of an institution that has played an enormous role in the history of OFF THE WALL and in the culture and community of DIRTY FRANK'S. We feel for — and stand with — the gifted faculty who are left without jobs and without the students they love to inspire and nurture and even more the students who came here to kindle dreams and are, for the moment, left with ashes. The decisions and governance that led to this bitter end are unconscionable and our creative community suffers from a void that must be filled. Stay tuned for details about a juried show we will organize to recognize the visual artists of UArts. Their work lives on and deserves our attention and support now.