News

thomas birch, fairmount water works

Washington Post | PAFA Makes the Case for a Schuylkill River School

From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic comes with a provocative and fascinating thesis: that there was indeed a Schuylkill River School, centered in Philadelphia, exploring themes and ideas that would be taken up by far more famous figures, including Thomas Cole…

In the News
Summer Academy student Max Brenneman works on a sculpture during class.

A Family Connection Draws High School Student to PAFA

16-year-old Max Brenneman is following in his older sister’s footsteps. In 2017 after his sister Sophie graduated from the MFA program, Brenneman began taking art classes at PAFA. This summer, Max dives further into his artistic practice by taking classes through the high school Summer Academy…
Perspectives
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Getty Foundation Awards Grant to PAFA for Traveling Seminar on Contemporary Prints for New Curators

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) has received a $134,000 grant from the Getty Foundation to offer a traveling seminar on contemporary prints for early-career curators, organized by the Brodsky Center, and to be held in April 2020. This initiative’s primary focus is on training and…
Press Release
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PAFA Announces New Board Members

PAFA is pleased to announce the election of five new members to its Board of Trustees: Valentine James "Jim" Link, Jr., Kenneth Mitchell, Sandra "Sandy" Norcross, Joel Koppelman, and Njideka Akunyili Crosby (Cert. '06).
Press Release
Joan Brown, "Self-Portrait" (1977). Oil on canvas, 84 x 72 inches. Museum purchase. © Estate of Joan Brown, courtesy of George Adams Gallery, New York.

Making "Eye Contact"

It might feel like you’re being watched in the Salon Gallery this summer. That's because PAFA's current exhibition of contemporary self-portraits by artists, "Eye Contact," explores how we see, judge ourselves to each other, and take control of a theoretical artistic concept known as gaze.
Perspectives
george beck

More Than 100 Artworks Added to PAFA’s Permanent Collection at Recent Collections Committee Meeting

PAFA has acquired 111 historic, modern, and contemporary works to its permanent collection—including one of the earliest painted views of the Schuylkill River by artist George Beck. In addition, PAFA added works by the Brandywine Workshop, Helen Frankenthaler, Charles Grafly, John Rhoden, Aaron…
Press Release
Jess Aquino '19 addresses graduating students and their families at PAFA's commencement exercises.

Jess Aquino '19: Tough Critiques Lead to a Breakthrough

Critiques are integral to the learning and curricular experience at PAFA, designed to push students and make the most of their time while in school. Second-year MFA student Jess Aquino discusses her experiences with the critique process, and how they have shaped the work she makes.
Perspectives
Paul Weber, "Landscape: Evening" (1856). Oil on canvas, 60 1/4 x 86 inches.

Showcasing Philadelphia’s Place in the History of American Landscapes

Who came first—Philadelphia or New York? In "From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic," PAFA explores an untold version of American art history.
Perspectives
Frank Genuardi '19 addresses the graduating Class of 2019 at PAFA's Commencement Exercises.

Frank Genuardi '19: An Art Degree Twenty Years in the Making

An unexpected job loss in 2011 forced Illustration student Frank Genuardi '19 to rethink his future and reconsider past decisions. So Genuardi went back to community college with the intent to earn a degree in business. Upon re-enrolling, he discovered he was a few credits shy of earning a degree in…
Perspectives
2019 travel prize winners

Scholarships Allow PAFA Students to Travel Around the World

An artist’s education doesn’t end at graduation. PAFA has a long-standing tradition of encouraging artists to explore the world and travel. Awarded each spring, PAFA's travel prizes—the Cresson, von Hess, and the newly-established Rubens—are among the most coveted at the Academy.
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PAFA Announces 2019 Winners of Prestigious Travel Scholarships and Museum Purchase Prizes

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is pleased to announce the 2019 recipients of its most prestigious awards, scholarships, and prizes. This year, PAFA awarded over $550K to its students. The award winners were announced during PAFA’s Commencement ceremony on May 10, 2019.
Press Release
Rhona Hofmeyer '20, "The Show Must Go On" (2019). Installation.

Art as an Immersive Experience

Rhona Hofmeyr '20 is a trained opera singer and studies sculpture at PAFA. After a summer study abroad trip to Greece, she was inspired to create more installations, which allows her to merge her creative interests.
Perspectives

About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United State's first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the fine arts, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and a world-class collection of American art. 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.