As part of celebrating the country’s 250th birthday, Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square has debuted ‘Piecing it Together,’ the latest exhibition in its ongoing Makers Series.

Curated by InLiquid, the exhibition will be on view through Sept. 7 and features work from local artists Joseph Opshinsky and Michael Morgan. The exhibition explores how Philadelphia’s industrial legacy, natural landscapes, and communities have shaped the city’s identity over time.

Guests are invited to attend the free Meet the Makers opening reception on Thursday, July 16, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., where they can chat with the artists, view the exhibition, and enjoy complimentary light bites from Patchwork Restaurant, with craft cocktails available for purchase.

‘Piecing it Together’ specifically takes a look at the intertwined histories of Wissahickon Valley Park and the Kensington neighborhood through the artists’ perspectives. 

A Scranton native, Opshinsky creates intricate cut-paper collages inspired by Pennsylvania’s forests, waterways, and former industrial sites reclaimed by nature. A graduate of Keystone College and the University of the Arts, his work has been shown throughout the state and can be seen in the permanent collection of the State Museum of Pennsylvania. For ‘Piecing It Together’, Opshinsky’s layered landscapes highlight the “evolving relationship between people, industry, and the environment, emphasizing the continual transformation that defines both Pennsylvania and the broader American story.”

As a release notes, ceramic sculptor Morgan, on the other hand, explores the histories embedded within the built environment through abstract sculptures made from hand-carved bricks and excavated ceramic shards. Drawing on his background in horticulture and landscape design, Morgan transforms discarded materials recovered from Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood into works that “evoke archaeology, place, and renewal.” Rather than repairing a single broken object, he assembles fragments into sculptural forms within everyday materials.

An artist-in-residence at The Clay Studio and recipient of the American Clay Artist Award, Morgan has spent more than three decades creating public and private commissions.

“InLiquid is pleased to bring together two artists who create new life from the ordinary and tell the stories of parts of Philadelphia’s past,” says Sara Zimmerman, Associate Director of InLiquid. “One uses colored paper; the other uses debris.”

‘Piecing it Together’ will remain on view through Sept. 7 on the second floor of Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia, located at 1620 Chancellor Street. The exhibition is free and open to hotel guests, local residents, and visitors. For more information, visit inliquid.app.neoncrm.com

MORE: Philadelphia students reflect on 250 years of history in PAFA art exhibition

Keywords

Philadelphia art,

Philadelphia art exhibition,

Things to do in Philly,

Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square,

InLiquid,

Piecing it Together,

Joseph Opshinsky,

Michael Morgan,

Philadelphia artists,

Rittenhouse Square