News

allyson shotz, plane weave

Metro | The Power of Space and Scale

A.D. Amorosi recaps our March 11 event with PAFA curators Jodi Throckmorton and Dr. Brittany Webb, which previewed our upcoming exhibition, "Taking Space: Contemporary Women Artists and the Politics of Scale".
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Installation view of "Awakened in You"

Philadelphia Inquirer | Shows at PAFA Spotlight Two Generations of Black Artists

Reporter Thomas Hine looks at two current PAFA exhibitions, "Awakened in You" and  Making Community, for the Philadelphia Inquirer, calling the shows "intimate" and "communal".

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"awakened in you" installation view

Fox 29 News | Dr. Constance Clayton Gifts Art Collection to PAFA

FOX 29's Alex Holley explains the significance of Dr. Clayton's amazing collection, now on view.
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Youth Council member Sophia Becker guides journalists through the Helen Frankenthaler show

KYW 1060 AM | Positively Philadelphia: Local High School Student Helps Curate Exhibit at PAFA

KYW Newsradio spoke with Youth Council member Sophia Becker about her experience of being part of the curatorial team behind At One Stroke: Prints by Helen Frankenthaler.
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installation view

Broad Street Review | A Lifetime in One Stroke

The Broad Street Review examines the legacy of Helen Frankenthaler as seen through the lens of the current exhibition, At One Stroke: Prints by Helen Frankenthaler, now on view in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building.
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installation view of "awakened in you"

Philadelphia Inquirer | Constance Clayton’s Gift to PAFA Is Now on Display

Take a look behind the scenes of the exhibition, "Awakened in You" with reporter Stephan Salisbury. The exhibition features works from the gift of Dr. Constance E. Clayton and "has the aura of a family meal around the dinner table," Salisbury writes.

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Dr. Constance E. Clayton is photographed with her mother, Williabell Clayton, in whose honor 78 artworks were donated to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

WHYY | PAFA Displays Black Art Collection of Constance Clayton, Former Philadelphia School Superintendent

WHYY's Peter Crimmins takes a look at PAFA's upcoming exhibition, "Awakened In You": The Collection of Dr. Constance E. Clayton.
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John Ditunno, 87, a spinal cord injury rehabilitation doctor who retired in August from his work at Jefferson Health, talks about his artwork during his sculpting class at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. | Image: Heather Khalifa for the Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Inquirer | At 87, This Philly Physician to Spinal Cord Injury Patients Finds Hope in Sculpting

John Ditunno, a doctor at Thomas Jefferson University, discovered his love of sculpture on a trip to Italy about 24 years ago. Though he recently retired after 50 years of teaching, he hasn't stopped sculpting. Alongside 3 other doctors, he spends many of his Saturday mornings in a Continuing…
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making community installation view

Philadelphia Inquirer | Spring 2020 Art Museums Preview

The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights PAFA's spring exhibitions, Making Community, At One Stroke, "Awakened in You", and Invisible City—for its roundup of Spring 2020 programming.
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making community installation view

Philly Influencer | PAFA celebrates 40 years of American printmaking and Helen Frankenthaler with new exhibits

Philly Influencer reviews PAFA's newest exhibitions: "The world-renowned institution has flawlessly assembled an astounding group of artists in these new showcases, which collectively feature more than one hundred pieces of art."
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laura wheeler waring

Philadelphia Magazine | Celebrate Black History Month

February is Black History Month and Philadelphia Magazine's Pat Rapa named our forthcoming exhibition, "Awakened In You": The Collection of Dr. Constance E. Clayton, as one of its top picks for the month.
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Henry O. Tanner, "Pomp at Philadelphia Zoo" (ca. 1880-86). Oil on artist's board, 12 x 10 inches. Museum Purchase (2019.47).

Philadelphia Inquirer | Henry O. Tanner's Great Painting of a Wise Old Lion Now Belongs to PAFA

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephan Salisbury takes a closer look at PAFA's recent acquisitions to the permanent collection. PAFA acquired alumnus Henry Ossawa Tanner's portrait of Pomp the lion, completed in the 1880s.
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About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.