May 22, 2016
Source/Philadelphia Museum of Art
Featured in 2015 in Fishtown, Philadelphia: 'Estate,' 1963, by Robert Rauschenberg.
Some of the most transformative aesthetic experiences can take place in the halls and showrooms of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, no matter your age or your familiarity with art history. From the Dalí exhibition in 2005 to the Chagall-era collection in 2011, plus enchanting keepers like Marcel Duchamp's "Étant donnés," Philadelphia is beyond fortunate to have a world-class art museum as a portal to the city's cultural life.
But if you didn't notice, there's also some artwork on display right now in the streets of Old City and in surrounding towns across the Delaware Valley. With support from the Knight Foundation, PMA has expanded its "Inside Out" exhibition, a series of outdoor installations that invite pedestrians to take in some of the world's most celebrated works in an unusual environment.
Last year, the "Inside Out" exhibition brought the work of Manet, Canaletto and others to Fishtown. This year, since early April, it's been Dalí, Juan Gris, Joan Miró, and Paul Cézanne peeking out onto the busy sidewalks of Old City.
”It is one thing to see such stirring works of art in a museum, but an entirely new experience to view them outdoors," said Victoria Rogers, Vice President for Arts at Knight Foundation. "We’re able to share the treasures of the Philadelphia Museum of Art more broadly and engage people directly as they go about their everyday lives."
This year's participating communities include Coatesville, Doylestown, Lansdowne, Narberth, and Tacony during the first cycle from April 15-July 15. In the second cycle, running August 1-November 1, "Inside Out" will head to Brewerytown, Bristol, Conshohocken, Jenkintown, Phoenixville, and Upper Darby.
On this damp and probably boring Sunday, anyone from the first cycle of communities above is granted free admission to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A weekend of free admission for the second cycle will be planned for the fall.
Residents and visitors in Old City can check out this map to see where each of the 15 installations is located. If you're in the mood for a walking tour in any of the participating communities, you can download PMA's "Inside Out" app at Apple's App Store or Google Play.
A full list of works on display in the first cycle of communities can be found here. You can also enter the #InsideOutUSA photo contest for a chance to win $500 and see your submission appear in Philadelphia's Streets Dept blog.
