Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Barkley Hendricks’ fans coming to Philadelphia for the hometown art legend’s first major career retrospective, Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool, can plan their trip at gophila.com/philly360, where they’ll find exhibition details, a Barkley and Friends tour of Philadelphia, a photo slideshow, videos, hotel package offers and more. The exhibition is on view at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) through January 3.

Here’s a look at some of the cool features found on the Barkley Hendricks page of gophila.com/philly360:

• Exhibition Details: Runs down the who, what, when and where and gives exhibition highlights and

The following itinerary is available on gophila.com/barkleyhendricks.

LOCATION: Historic Philadelphia, Center City and North Philadelphia

TRANSPORTATION: On foot, by taxi or car

DURATION: Two nights and two days

Note: Locations picked by Barkley and friends are indicated as such. Other places are suggestions of the tourism office.

Philly’s flavors, faces, rhythms and spaces have always been on the cutting edge of cool. Need proof? Acclaimed artist and local son Barkley L. Hendricks is bringing his Birth of the Cool career retrospective home to his alma mater, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), through January 3, 2010—making this

For more than a century, the city of Philadelphia has been home to a number of prominent African-American artists who received academic training and created visual works of all media, contributing to the artistic and intellectual life of the city. Establishments like the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, art schools like Moore College of Art and Design and Tyler School of Art at Temple University and venues like Sande Webster Gallery and ArtJaz Gallery have provided important channels for the career development of African-American artists in Philadelphia. While the African-American art scene has blossomed and waned to varying degrees

From his iconic life-sized portraits to compelling Jamaican landscapes, native son Barkley L. Hendricks’ works come to Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) for an exclusive fall engagement. Birth of the Cool is Hendricks’ first career retrospective, and from October 17 to January 3, art aficionados can visit the artist’s alma mater and browse nearly 60 interpretations of contemporary black identity. Plus, Philly’s wide range of exhibitions, performances and galleries offer fresh ideas to make it a long weekend. Visitors can book their stay at gophila.com, where they can also plan every detail of their trip. Here’s

After exploring the Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy exhibition, appearing only in Philadelphia, only in 2009 (April 4 through September 7, 2009 at The Franklin Institute Science Museum), visitors are encouraged to spend a night or two and enjoy other exhibitions and events in the region. Here’s a look at what’s going on while Galileo’s in town:

Fun Art And Culture:

• The popular three-day West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival—now in its sixth year—features all types of jazz alongside visual artists, craft vendors and more. This year’s lineup features WAR, Jeffrey Osbourne, Average

This June, Philadelphia will celebrate Black Music Month with events and shows featuring many genres of music, including jazz, hip hop, rap and more. Started in 1979 with the help of the city’s famed songwriter and record producer Kenny Gamble, Black Music Month in Philly kicks off on June 6 with the second annual Roots Picnic, an all-day concert that culminates with a performance by Philly’s famed hip-hop group turned Late Night with Jimmy Fallon house band, The Roots.

Black Music’s Philly Roots:
There would be no 1970s soul, no R&B, no disco, without Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

This summer’s Philadelphia Quest for Freedom will feature new programs, tours and exhibitions—including the brand-new permanent exhibition at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776-1876—to give visitors a more exciting and in-depth view of African-American history in Philadelphia and in the United States’ early years than ever before.

Now in its third year, Philadelphia Quest for Freedom, part of a statewide initiative that brings the history of the Underground Railroad to the public’s attention, features several exhibitions that explore the breadth of the African-American experience in Philadelphia:

• Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia,

Travelers heading to Philadelphia this spring or summer will have a chance to immerse themselves in the region’s rich African-American history and culture thanks to an assortment of special events and exhibitions taking place in the city and beyond. During the course of both seasons, they can check out The African American Museum in Philadelphia’s brand-new permanent exhibition to learn about the experiences of African-Americans living in 18^th-century Philadelphia; groove to the sounds of The Roots, Public Enemy and other all-star groups at the second annual Roots Picnic; and examine their thoughts about skin color at RACE: Are

Philadelphia celebrates African-American history 365 days a year, but things really heat up in February when the region’s museums, arts and cultural organizations and historic sites recognize Black History Month. One of the highlights of the city’s 2009 celebration is sure to be America I AM: The African American Imprint, Tavis Smiley’s new show at the National Constitution Center that celebrates nearly 500 years of African and African-American contributions to the U.S.

Those celebrating Black History Month in the region this winter can take advantage of the long three-day weekend (February 14-16) and the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which

Now Playing:
Survival Of The Fittest
The bicentennial of the birth of Charles Darwin prompted Philadelphia to name April 2008 through May 2009 the Year of Evolution. The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology leads the pack in honoring the scientist’s birthday with its innovative exhibition Surviving: The Body of Evidence, on view through May 3, 2009. Visitors discover how the process of evolution impacts their daily lives. 3260 South Street, (215) 898-4000, museum.upenn.edu

Edgar Allan Poe Bicentennial
January marks the 200^th year since the birth of literary master Edgar Allan Poe, and Philadelphia is celebrating

Travelers heading to Philadelphia this winter or spring will have a chance to immerse themselves in the region’s rich African-American history and culture thanks to an assortment of special events and exhibitions taking place in the city and beyond. During the course of both seasons, they can celebrate nearly 500 years of achievements by Africans and African-Americans at the National Constitution Center, see the intricate patterns of handmade quilts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and celebrate black writers at Art Sanctuary’s 25^th Annual Black Writing Festival. Then, as spring thaws, the best distinctly Philadelphia festivals take to the

Buying art can be intimidating, but the owners of Philadelphia’s African American art galleries provide a comforting mix of gentle guidance and pure patience to make the experience easy, accessible and even fun. Both first-time buyers and long-time art aficionados can be assured of purchasing their favorite pieces with ease. Here’s where to find the most wall-worthy art in the city:
 

• Part of Philadelphia’s next generation of galleries, Art Around Gallery has popped up not too far from the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, taking advantage of its proximity to the Marketplace Design Center. Welcoming a different artist each month,

Name: Sande Webster
Affiliation: Sande Webster Gallery
Her Story: Sande Webster’s track record for shattering stereotypes has made her one of the most revered individuals in Philadelphia’s art scene. Armed with a master’s degree in physics, she worked at the Berg Art Gallery in nearby Jenkintown prior to collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs to open the Wallnuts of Locust Street Gallery in Center City in 1969. Webster and her partners took many artistic risks, regularly featuring African American painters, sculptors and printmakers; organizing exhibitions with social and political implications; and displaying glass, clay and textiles in a different way than what