{"id":290153,"date":"2026-09-20T07:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/290153\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T07:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:00:16","slug":"a-rare-treat-of-an-1873-tapestry-at-pma-fringe-fest-picks-and-other-best-art-we-saw-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/290153\/","title":{"rendered":"A \u2018rare treat\u2019 of an 1873 tapestry at PMA, Fringe Fest picks, and other best art we saw this week"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AtAt the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry from the museum’s collection that dates from about 1873.Peter Dobrin<\/p>\n

A Bayeux Tapestry seen nearly after a century<\/p>\n

\u201cBayeux mania\u201d struck London last week. Throngs<\/a> filed through the British Museum to see the Bayeux Tapestry, the famed 220-foot tapestry from the 1070s that returned to England from France for the first time in centuries.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a Bayeux Tapestry has returned to public view for the first time in decades.<\/p>\n

The piece is one of the stars of \u201cWorkshop of the World,\u201d which opened at the Philadelphia Museum of Art<\/a> in July and runs another few weeks. With 270 textiles, ceramics, pieces of furniture, works in stained glass, as well as paintings and prints, the exhibition takes a deep dive into the Arts and Crafts movement and industrial design in Philadelphia. The material is thoroughly Philadelphia, starting with the Centennial Exposition and following the city\u2019s art schools, including the various iterations of the University of the Arts<\/a>, and explores the idealistic craft communities of Bryn Athyn<\/a>, New Hope, Rose Valley<\/a> and, in Delaware, Arden.<\/p>\n

\"DesignedDesigned by Violet Oakley, ‘The St. George and The Gertrude Mosaic’ c. 1911-1913, in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s ‘Workshop of the World’ show.Philadelphia Museum of Art<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a show that probably packs in more beauty for beauty\u2019s sake than any other at the museum in recent years while spanning an incredibly diverse aesthetic. It\u2019s not often you see Golden Age book illustrator Maxfield Parrish, contemporary stained glass artist Judith Schaechter<\/a>, and fabric swatches from the 19th century pulled together in one place, much less threaded into a story this convincingly.<\/p>\n

The Bayeux Tapestry on view is gorgeously rendered and quite old, but not a millennium old. It is, rather, a full-scale reproduction<\/a> from about 1873 both mechanically produced \u2014 with photography \u2014 and handmade.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a project overseen by the South Kensington<\/a> Museum in London,\u201d said PMA curator of American decorative arts David Barquist. \u201cThey sent a photographer to France and made hundreds of glass plate negatives to print this out [on paper, mounted on cloth], and it was hand-colored because, of course, they didn\u2019t have color photography at that point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Six copies were made, one of which was acquired by the Art Museum in 1888. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts owned another copy. It was bought by the Bayeux Museum from Watts\u2019s estate<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n

You can see only a relatively short stretch of the Philadelphia Museum of Art\u2019s facsimile. It\u2019s been unfurled to the scene of King Harold\u2019s coronation and a visit from Halley\u2019s comet, which was seen as a bad omen.<\/p>\n

Still, to see it at all is a rare treat. The museum displayed the piece when the museum was housed in Memorial Hall, but when the PMA moved into its current building, in 1928, the Bayeux reproduction was put into storage and wasn\u2019t seen again until now, said Barquist \u2014 nearly a century later.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time we moved here, Fiske Kimball was the director. This is not Fiske Kimball\u2019s cup of tea,\u201d said Barquist. \u201cHe was about modernism and Duchamp and all that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duchamp<\/a>, by the way promises, to take the spotlight once again, with a major show opening at the museum Oct. 10. Call it \u201cDuchamp mania.\u201d<\/p>\n

Workshop of the World continues at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Oct. 11. philamuseum.org.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Peter Dobrin<\/p>\n

Fashion Week pleats, tucks, seams seen up close<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve watched Kevin Parker and Kerry Scott build Philly Fashion Week for 21 years. <\/p>\n

Each year I\u2019m more impressed with the way they\u2019ve made the biannual four-day style event not just a runway extravaganza, but a teaching opportunity. Fashion is an industry and Parker and Scott are dedicated to helping Philadelphia designers not just be fabulous but sell their fabulosity. <\/p>\n

\"PhillyPhilly based special occasion designer Jeanette Limas dramatic gowns featured during Philly Fashion Week in Tuesday night’s Immersive Show. This is Philly Fashion Week’s 21st year.Ana Photography<\/p>\n

Tuesday night\u2019s Immersive Fashion Show, the kick-off event to this fall\u2019s Philly Fashion Week \u201cFrom the Runway to the Streets: <\/a>Philadelphia is Fashion\u201d was another example of that. The show featured collections from five designers whose models did more than walk a runway; they walked up to the audience, allowing onlookers to see each pleat, tuck, seam and swish of a hemline close up. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to give the audience a chance to see the clothes, admire them, take pics, talk to the models, interact with the designers,\u201d said Parker. \u201cIt\u2019s a different way for designers to see the clothes.\u201d <\/p>\n

Among my favorite were Jeanette Limas\u2019 romantic, yet no-nonsense silhouettes. I think there is a red gown appropriate for every occasion, but those with billowing sleeves, cinched waists, and ruffled hemlines give feminine energy with a powerful twist. Melani Von Alexandria\u2019s hot girl looks were tailored and sharp in black and white. Sculpted hair designs by Kia Sterling took the gowns up an avant garde notch. <\/p>\n

\"Philly-basedPhilly-based avant-gard designer Melani Von Alexandria’s designs were featured in Philly Fashion Week’s Immersive Fashion Show. Tuesday night’s production is part of Philly Fashion Week’s 21st year. This year’s theme is “From the Runway to The Streets”Ana Photography<\/p>\n

Philly Fashion Week culminates Saturday, Sept. 19. The Business of Fashion Panel will be Saturday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. featuring a fireside chat with celebrity stylist KJ Moody <\/a>\u2014 whose clients include Beyonc\u00e9 \u2014 followed by the Runway II show, with more than dozen looks by national and local designers. The show will be outside between Market and Filbert Street on 9th. Tickets are available here<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Elizabeth Wellington <\/p>\n

Greek tragedy meets an American tragedy at Philadelphia Fringe<\/p>\n

Remember when you got paired up with two other kids to present a history project in middle school? That is the premise of little ghost party\u2019s 2026 Fringe production: three awkward middle schoolers having to put on a presentation about Greek playwrights. The three protagonists take turns hilariously recreating some of the best Greek tragedies, which unearths emotional moments for each. <\/p>\n

\"AA production still from ghost party’s \u201cOffstage Onstage: Everything You Didn\u2019t See The Greeks Do\u201d that is playing as part of Philadelphia Fringe through Sept. 28Sam Dellert<\/p>\n

Many Greek tragedies are considered violent, and the brutally makes it difficult to adapt in modern times. However, little ghost party smartly sets this middle school presentation in the wake of a neighboring school shooting. The students use that grief, along with raised alertness and fear, which makes the violence in some of these tragedies seem more contemporary. <\/p>\n

Great performances from the three creators of the piece and some really nostalgic projection work makes for a wonderfully unique Philadelphia Fringe experience. <\/p>\n

\u201cOffstage Onstage: Everything You Didn\u2019t See The Greeks Do\u201d is running at the Asian Arts Initiative Black Box until Sept. 28.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Frank Schierloh<\/p>\n

\"FILEFILE – Liam Gallagher, left, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis walk onstage together during their reunion tour in Toronto, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025. ‘Oasis: Don’t L;ook Back in Anger,’ the new documentary about the band’s 2025 reunion tour, is in Philly area theaters (Sammy Kogan\/The Canadian Press via AP, File)Sammy Kogan \/ AP<\/p>\n

An Oasis documentary that\u2019s much more than a band biography<\/p>\n

I first saw Oasis at J.C. Dobbs on South Street<\/a> in 1994. And then again at the first ever show at the CoreStates Center<\/a> \u2014 now, several name changes later, Xfinity Mobile Arena \u2014 in 1996. <\/p>\n

Then in 2025, battling brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher finally made peace after more than 15 years of not speaking to each other. But when the biggest Brit-pop band in the world reunited, they didn\u2019t come any closer to Philadelphia than MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, N.J. That time, I didn\u2019t make the trip up the Jersey Turnpike to see them. <\/p>\n

And now that I\u2019ve seen the new film, Oasis: Don\u2019t Look Back in Anger, I\u2019ve come to see the error of my ways. <\/p>\n

The documentary, which is directed by Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern, is an excellent concert film that captures the majestic roar of the Mancunian band\u2019s guitar-army wall of sound.<\/p>\n

\"LiamLiam Gallagher from the band Oasis performs during their reunion concert on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Cardiff. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt\/Invision\/AP)Scott A Garfitt \/ Scott A Garfitt\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n

But as it follows the Gallaghers as they fill stadiums in the U.K., U.S., and around the world, with 50,000 and more at every tour stop joining in on the sturdy, built-to-last songs written by Noel and sung with sneering swagger by Liam, it also achieves something improbable. <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Look Back in Anger, which credits Peaky Blinders\u2019 creator Steven Knight as a writer, also tells a moving story about reconciliation. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s because it\u2019s not just about the brothers, who were so completely estranged that their children had never met. It\u2019s also about the fans to whom Oasis obviously means so much. And the kick is that so many of those ardent enthusiasts seen in the movie \u2014 particularly those in Asia and South America \u2014 are much, much younger than the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupersonic,\u201d the first ever Oasis single, from 1994, opened with the line \u201cI need to be myself, I can\u2019t be no one else.\u201d The under 30s fans in the film who have taken that credo to heart and have waited most of their lives to finally see their favorite band live, include a Korean haenyo, a \u201cDiving Woman,\u201d like the swimmer in the Japanese Breakfast song of that name.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a young Brazilian woman who finds her identity through an Oasis fan group and names her German Shepherd after the band\u2019s guitarist Paul \u201cBonehead\u201d Arthurs. And a Manchester priest fashions a compelling sermon about forgiveness around the Oasis finally making peace. If the Gallagher brothers can put their acrimony aside and love one another, he reasons, perhaps there\u2019s hope for us all. <\/p>\n

Oasis: Don\u2019t Look Back in Anger is playing at Philly area theaters<\/a> and expected to stream on Hulu and Disney+ later this year. This week, the band announced Oasis \u201927 tour dates.<\/a> Once again, Philadelphia is not on the itinerary, with the band doing 11 hometown dates in Manchester next June and the only U.S. shows three each in Boston and Las Vegas in August. Anyone up for a road trip? <\/p>\n

\u2014 Dan DeLuca<\/p>\n

Trauma Queen holds court at Philly Fringe<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the worst thing that\u2019s ever happened to you? Tell the Trauma Queen and she\u2019ll make a hilarious joke out of it. Philadelphia playwright\/comedian Liv Shoup presented a reading of her work in progress, Trauma Queen, to a packed house at Plays and Players Skinner Studio as part of the Fringe Festival\u2019s Lemonade Stand hub. And despite the dark subject matter, she had the audience snort-laughing almost the entire time.<\/p>\n

Shoup\u2019s titular queen brimmed with charisma in bright pink hair and compelling stage presence, regardless of the binder holding the script in front of her. She puts herself out there by trying stand-up at open mic nights, only to get kicked out for trying to tell rape jokes. <\/p>\n

Her trauma, the sheepish stage manager tells her, isn\u2019t funny, it just makes people uncomfortable (she excels in evoking both humor and discomfort in revealing, fascinating ways). <\/p>\n

Then when she tries presenting in group therapy, she\u2019s dinged for taking such a light tone about such serious topics. Doctor\u2019s suggestion? Try stand-up. Instead of digging through her personal history, she turns it over to the audience (and the internet) to solicit their bad experiences so she can poke fun at them \u2014 and it leads to her surprise success. <\/p>\n

The script was smart and biting, with Shoup delivering stream-of-consciousness rants with sharp barbs and excellent comedic timing. Her recovery journey provides pointed critiques of the perils of becoming an internet personality and the challenges of finding true friends who support and believe victims of sexual assault. It was refreshing, hysterical, and heartbreaking. I can\u2019t wait to see where the play goes next.<\/p>\n

The final performance of \u201cTrauma Queen<\/a>\u201d will run at 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 at Plays and Players Skinner Studio, 1714 Delancey St., Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rosa Cartagena<\/p>\n

\"Dan<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m The Inquirer’s Pop Music Critic. I cover Philly music makers of all genres, spotlighting local acts on the rise, telling stories from throughout the city’s rich music history, and reviewing big-name touring acts when they come to town. <\/p>\n

\"Rosa<\/a><\/p>\n

I write about arts, entertainment, and culture in Philly, covering everything from movies, TV, theater, and museums to local artists and fascinating art mysteries. <\/p>\n

\"Elizabeth<\/a><\/p>\n

I cover the local arts scene and how it speaks to issues of race, gender, fashion, culture, and wellness. I critique pop culture, especially fashion, television, movies, and books.\n <\/p>\n

\"Peter<\/a><\/p>\n

I cover classical music and the arts with an emphasis on the business of the arts and the life of the city. <\/p>\n