by Ptah Gabrie | From Fall 2007

The transition of Broad Street to the Avenue of the Arts is reflective of a deeply rooted respect of art in Philadelphia. Many galleries and exhibition spaces are spread throughout the Center City, but all too often many places west of Broad Street are overshadowed by the concentration of galleries to the east. In fact, Rittenhouse is home to some of the city’s, and country’s, oldest and most prestigious galleries. The area of center city west of Broad Street, or WoBro, has a long standing tradition of promoting art and artists who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries.

The Philadelphia Art Alliance is located on the square’s southeast corner, and is the oldest multi-disciplinary art gallery in the country. The Alliance was the forward thinking idea of local Philanthropist, and lover of performing arts, Christine Wetherill Stevenson, and is located in one of the last remaining mansions on the square. For the past 93 years the Alliance has exhibited fine works of visual and literary art, and hosted many lectures and performances. The gallery is founded on an all inclusive philosophy, and welcomes all forms of art. Even though this organization is steeped in years of history, the founding principal keeps a fresh flow of new art coming in. “It’s not like you’re going to walk into a history museum,” said Executive Director Gay Walling. “There is a very nice juxtaposition between the contemporary art, and the historic building.”Art is acquired in several ways. The Alliance receives submissions, puts together invitational shows, and collaborates with other galleries. The mansion has three floors of gallery space, and a satellite gallery located on the third floor of the Rittenhouse Hotel. The current exhibition at the Rittenhouse location features Dutch Jewelry by Gijs Bakker, and the satellite gallery features new paintings by Vincent Romaniello in an exhibition entitled Deep. Both are open now and run through May.

Just to the North of the Alliance is another organization bringing fresh new visual art and artists to the community. Originally founded by Felicity R. “Bebe” Benoliel and named the Creative Artists Network, the Center has worked in the community since 1983. The center is located in Rittenhouse, but their reach extends to the entire region. Their goal is to bring emerging regional artists and communities together. The artists are considered emerging, but many already have prior artistic experience. “We work with artists that are early or midway through their careers,” said Amy Potsic, Director of the Career Development Program. “You’re really seeing artists who have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in contemporary art in the region.” The Center offers resources as well as exhibition space. Selected artists can participate in an intensive two-year Career Development Program. Through this, artists receive a mentorship as well as an opportunity to obtain grants and residencies. Alumni are permanently affiliated with the center, and are featured in many regional and national exhibitions. The Rittenhouse location offers many group exhibitions, as well as 8 “Spotlight Exhibitions.” The Spotlight Exhibitions feature two artists in the 2nd year of the Career Development Program, and give an in depth look at the artwork and the artist. One of this gallery’s largest benefits to the community is their Regional Community Arts Program. This program actively puts on exhibitions in schools, hospitals and other community centers, and offers teaching opportunities for community artists. Other programs bring in guest curators, and feature juried exhibitions. The center also enjoys relationships with other galleries outside of the Delaware Valley. Their inter-gallery exchange program brings new art to the city, and exposes local artists too a broader audience.

While the PAA and the CFEVA pride themselves on bringing new art to the city, the Calderwood Gallery brings a specified genre of furniture to the Rittenhouse community. The gallery is located just to the southwest of the square at 16th and Spruce St. Their inventory 20th century French Art-Deco furniture is the largest in the world, and includes over 800 pieces from a variety of different crafters. The pieces are museum quality, and the collection only features originals. Many pieces were originally made on commission, and show a high attention to detail that isn’t found in production pieces. The collection comes from 30 years of purchases by gallery founders Janet and Gary Calderwood. “I was searching for the best material I could find,” he said. “I always bought pieces that I believed in.” Calderwood also has a collection of vintage Hollywood photographs on display in their gallery. Many of the photos come from the 20s and 30s, and feature actors and their fashions. The film studios of this time used art-deco furniture in their movies and still pictures. “It was kind of a magic time in Hollywood,” said Calderwood. “The clothing and objects in the Photographs are very Art-Deco oriented.”

Around the corner from Calderwood is The Print Center at 16th and Latimer St. History is something this gallery has plenty of. The center was founded as The Print Club in the early 20th Century, and became one of the first exhibitors of American and foreign prints. Photography is also supported by The Print Center, and they feature works by established and emerging photographers. “At this moment in history, looking at an exhibition of printmaking or photography is completely relevant to all other contemporary discourse,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Spungen. Many notable artists have been featured including Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso and Jasper Johns. As an effort to show support for art in the community, The Print Club became The Print Center. The center is currently featuring the works of Orit Hofshi, Bill Scott and Janet Towbin. These artists will be featured until mid May. Hofshi previously taught at the Pennsylvania Academy. She is a printmaker, and her large woodcut images are featured. Her work is also co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel. Scott is a long time Philadelphia resident. He is a painter, but his exhibited works come from a recent collaboration with printmaker Cindy Ettinger. Towbin, who lived in the Rittenhouse Square area until very recently, is a highly skilled printmaker who previously taught at Moore College. This year the center will be holding its 82nd annual International Competition. The competition alternates yearly between printmaking and photography. Selections are juried, and 36 artists were chosen for exhibition. This year is a photography year, and runs from May 31 to August 2.

In addition to living in a city of approximately 1.5 million people, Philadelphians are privileged to live in a town that doubles as a world class outdoor art gallery. Our streets are lined with buildings featuring images of history, people and communities, and some of the finest murals are west of Rittenhouse Square. The Mural Arts Program is dedicated to finding new places to insert art into communities, and bringing in artists who are passionate about making a difference in a community. The program originated from the Philadelphia Anti Graffitti Network in 1984, and is responsible for creating over 2,700 murals throughout the city. Jane Golden was originally hired to work with graffiti artists, and turn them into muralists. Now she is the program’s director, and she works with over 100 communities and 300 artists each year. The program’s free mural arts classes reach 3,000 young people annually, and ensures an opportunity to learn for anyone. “We all have an intuitive desire for beauty,” said Golden. “I think there’s a natural inclination toward wanting beauty and art in our lives, and I think murals really level the playing field about where art is.” MAP offers many tours that show people the murals and the neighborhoods they are in. A tour map is provided on their website for people interested in self tours. Golden comes from an artistic family, and has a great appreciation for what the arts can do for people. “Art, music, theater, murals! It’s a way of holding on to hope, life and civility,” said Golden. “The outdoor art in this city really contributes a lot to who we are today.”