| About the Exhibition
Opening reception: Thursday, May 20, 5 - 7 pm
The City of Philadelphia’s Art In City Hall exhibition
program celebrates its 61st juried group exhibition based
on a specific theme. Currency features the work of
16 Philadelphia area artists whose works create, modify, manipulate,
or restructures forms of currency and related symbols of commerce.
The 16 participating artists are:
Marlene D’Orazio Adler, Bridgett Bonn-Wagner, Robert
Bullock, Anthony Ciambella, Deborah Fine, Colette Fu, Tom
Herbert, Vera E. Kaminski, Marilyn E. Lavins, Renee Leshner,
Joe McAleer, Amy
Orr, Michael R. Ryan, Charlotte
A. Schatz, Tom Sloan, and Alison Willse.
As the world faces an economic crisis, the exhibition highlights
art created by various forms and manipulations of currency.
Some of the works are statements about global commerce, credit
cards, war and our limited resources. They inspire a dialogue
about values and principles, our heritage and culture, and
the role economics plays in world affairs as well as our personal
lives. There are works that deal with currency as symbols,
such as in the dollar bill. Some offer narratives that may
be open or have historical significance. Whether it’s
a pop-up book of the First Bank of the United States, a metal
bracelet adorned with finely shaped gas pump handles, a map
of the world pieced together by cut credit cards and advertisements,
or a comic strip, the artists in the exhibition present a
myriad of perspectives and forms inspired by our dependency
and fixation with money.
Currency was juried by select members of the Art
In City Hall Exhibitions Committee, which is made of up Philadelphia
arts professionals who volunteer their expertise in support
of local art. The exhibition consists of a wide range of media,
including: sculpture, jewelry, collage, book arts, collage,
painting/drawing and assemblage.
About Art in City Hall
Art In City Hall is a collaborative effort between the City
of Philadelphia's Department of Public Property and the arts
community. It is supported by an independent Advisory Council
made up of arts professionals and private citizens. Since
the program began in 1984, over 1500 emerging artists have
shown their talents in the hallways of City Hall through juried
group exhibitions based on specific themes. In addition to
exhibitions for professional artists, the program also displays
artwork from the School District of Philadelphia, and other
city agencies and nonprofits. |
