Why Philadelphia is America’s art capital

Rocky Steps leading up to the Museum of Art, Philadelphia, the US

Almost everybody does it. Even those who don’t know the way to their local gym or running trail. The Rocky Steps in Philadelphia is not just one of the city’s most popular tourist magnets but an essential Instagram tick in the box for almost everyone who visits Philly. These 72 steps have become a cultural symbol of sorts ever since Sylvester Stallone made them popular in his Rocky franchise. This Instagram run of fame culminates with a photo op with the Rocky statue near the steps. I’ve been there, done that on each of my three visits to one of my favourite cities in America.

These steps are more than just a photo or video op. They’ve become a metaphor of sorts for the city’s art programme. There are few cities that can rival Philly in its efforts to make art accessible, take it beyond connoisseurs and critics, a process that started more than a century ago. As early as 1908, Alfred C Barnes (who made his fortune from Argyrol, an antiseptic compound) brought some of his art collection into his laboratory to spark discussions among his workers. The emphasis was eventually to teach students how to understand and appreciate art without an art-history background. The Rocky Steps lead to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and, now, a growing number of visitors go beyond their Instagram conquest and enter a world of art that dates back to 1876. But Philly’s art story is more than just a couple of museums.

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Untitled mural by Amy Sherald, on 1108 Sansom Street (Photo by Steve Weinik)

In 2018, Amy Sherald made headlines with her official portrait of Michelle Obama. Her untitled mural (completed in 2019), in Center City, is arguably one of the most striking street murals anywhere in the US. It reflects her trademark style that captures everyday moments in the lives of African-American people and how people construct their identities. Philly’s ambitious mural arts programme has been driven by a simple vision — "Art ignites change". It has earned the city international recognition as the Mural Capital of the World. Till date, the city has produced more than 4,000 murals since 1984, massive pieces of art that have transformed neighbourhoods. You can explore what locals call the world’s largest outdoor art gallery on one of the many walking tours.

Barnes Foundation

Barnes Foundation

A strong supporter of progressive education, Dr Barnes believed that people — like art — should not be segregated. In 1922, he purchased a 12-acre arboretum and set up a gallery — the first home of the Barnes Foundation, before it moved to its present location in the city. Albert Barnes’ vision to democratise art was criticised by art critics in the 1920s but today the Barnes Foundation has earned its due credit, as an art venue that changed the way visitors appreciate art. Barnes chose an ensemble route arranging his collection in an unconventional manner mixing paintings, decorative art and utilitarian objects. The foundation’s collection has grown beyond 4,000, including over 900 paintings valued at $25 billion with an impressive array of artists, which includes Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri Matisse. You can experience "Modigliani Up Close" — an exhibition that is on until January 2023. It builds on research that began in 2017, with a major retrospective at Tate Modern, this focused project takes a close look at how Amedeo Clemente Modigliani created his works.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art

You can view paintings by Renoir and Picasso, walk past a collection of suits of armour and a one-acre outdoor sculpture garden, all under one roof. This is one of America’s largest museums with more than 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years, including pieces from the ancient world, medieval times, the Renaissance, the Impressionist movement and modern day. World-renowned architect Frank Gehry was the brainchild of the museum’s interiors, one of the biggest recent revamps of a museum that was first set up in 1876. By the 1930s, Matisse was one of the world’s most celebrated painters but he found himself in a creative slump. "Matisse in the 1930s" (on till January 2023) features a collection of the legendary artist’s work during a decade of artistic exploration — from experimentation, to failure, to renewal — with Philadelphia as a backdrop.

Wonderspaces

Body Paint, Society Hill, Wonderspaces

Walk in, check in to the cocktail bar and walk around with a cocktail or soft drink of your choice. Everything about Wonderspaces is unconventional. It starts with the location — in the heart of the Fashion District in Center City. Positioned more as a social space than an art gallery, Wonderspaces is home to 16 extraordinary art installations that keep changing through the year. The exhibits are more than immersive — you become part of the interactive experience, with displays like Body Paint that interprets your physical gestures into evolving compositions.

Brandywine Museum of Art

Brandywine Museum

“I paint my life”, Andrew Wyeth, who painted Christina’s World (1948), one of the best-known images in 20th-century American art, often said. It’s now at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. Wyeth’s works are among the showstoppers at this museum that was established in 1971 in a former gristmill (built in the 1864). It’s one of the best showcases for American art in the region (an hour’s drive from Philadelphia) with landscapes, still life. The museum houses artworks from three generations of the Wyeth family and other celebrated American artists like Benjamin West and Gilbert Stuart. The Brandywine Conservancy, which runs Brandywine River Museum (now Brandywine Museum of Art), was founded by a group of locals who purchased land in Chadds Ford to protect the area from industrial development. Wyeth painted many of his key works at his Chadds Ford studio, which is now a part of the conservancy and museum.