August 8, 2017 by Artblog

Brandon Washington on his dad Ron Washington of Ron’s Ribs and on community

Earlier this year, Karen Chernick wrote about the missing Royal Theater mural, a history mural on South Street commemorating the legacy of the Royal Theater, a once-thriving black theater where Billie Holiday, among many others, gave concerts. The mural, painted by Eric Okdeh depicted jazz greats who played at the Royal, and neighborhood greats, like Ron Washington, of Ron’s Ribs, a restaurant landmark at 1627 South St., across from the theater. In this podcast, Roberta and Imani Roach (Artblog Managing Editor) speak with Brandon Washington, son of Ron. Brandon talks about the neighborhood, his father’s important role as a community leader and of his own and his brother’s hope to revive Ron’s Ribs in the future in a Ron’s Ribs food truck.

June 29, 2017 by Artblog

Apiary Magazine, a beautiful publication alive with Philadelphia voices and art

In this podcast interview, Matt Kalasky talks with Amanda Buck and Alexa Smith, two of the editors of Apiary Magazine, a beautiful Philadelphia literary publication in print and online, started in 2009 and publishing a wide variety of community voices, in a variety of genres including poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Apiary also includes visual art.

June 11, 2017 by Artblog

From the Vault, Amze Emmons’ shaky cityscapes on Artblog Radio

In this From the Vault post from 2011, Libby and Roberta talk with Amze Emmons about his work creating pastel-hued dystopias that are magnetic and enigmatic. Emmons’s works are featured at the Gershman Y right now in a pairing with (also wonderful) work by Lynne Clibanoff. The show is up to August 27, 2017. Be sure to get over and see it.

June 9, 2017 by Artblog

From the vault, a conversation with Martha McDonald about site-specific performance

In this From the Vault post from 2006, Roberta interviews Martha McDonald about a site-specific performance at Bartram’s Garden. The artist has continued to perform in historically resonant spaces–this Sunday, June 11, McDonald will lead audience members through the 18th-century estate of Andalusia on the Delaware River as part of Headlong and the Philadelphia Contemporary’s The Quiet Circus: River Charette series (more info here: http://philadelphiacontemporary.org/river-charrettes-post/). She will explore the history of the site as a place of refuge during the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, inviting the audience to tune into its historical resonance and contemporary reality. Artblog will be there!

June 5, 2017 by Artblog

From the Vault, Pap Souleye Fall’s radical-ritual sewing on Artblog Radio

In this From the Vault post, listen to our 2016 audio podcast with Pap Souleye Fall, a 2017 UArts graduate, whose work is featured at the Galleries at Moore in the 5 into 1 exhibit, up til June 24, 2017. Pap’s performance- and sewing-based works are spiritual and community focused and great.

May 31, 2017 by Evan Paul Laudenslager

A decade in the making, Jeffrey Stockbridge wraps up Kensington Blues

Evan interviews Jeffrey Stockbridge about his moving and emotional Kensington Blues project, on view at Savery Gallery until June 2nd and available in book form as well.

May 26, 2017 by Roberta

Ron Klein’s cosmic chaos and order at Abington Art Center

Ron Klein is an artist, a sculptor who thinks big, travels the world to research and find materials, and whose works evoke the cosmos and thoughts about the place of humans in a bigger context. Ron’s got an installation at Abington Art Center now through June 23. Don’t miss it.

April 24, 2017 by Roberta

Paul Chan’s mischievous wordsmithing and hallucinatory art making at Morris Gallery

Roberta chats with Paul Chan about his installation, “Pillowsophia,” at PAFA’s Morris Gallery. The haunting piece is a hollow hooded figure made of black nylon placed high against a wall. In continuous motion from wind blown into its cavity by a powerful and noisy industrial fan, the piece is engineered and stitched in such a way that it dances what seems like an ecstatic death dance. A response to the times, which are filled with violence against black men, the piece is powerful and emotionally moving.