{"id":729142,"date":"2026-06-27T11:51:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/729142\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T11:51:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:51:14","slug":"see-it-hear-it-feel-it-all-the-philly-art-we-loved-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/729142\/","title":{"rendered":"See it, hear it, feel it: All the Philly art we loved this week"},"content":{"rendered":"

A flowery union at the PMA<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a rare reunion at the Art Museum this year: Two of Vincent van Gogh\u2019s famous sunflower paintings are on view side by side. Only five large-scale paintings comprise his Sunflowers series, scattered over three continents. But now, Philadelphia gets a chance to see two together. <\/p>\n

For the first time in its history, Sunflowers (1888), from the collection of London\u2019s National Gallery, has traveled across the Atlantic for its United States premiere alongside the PMA\u2019s own Sunflowers (1889). The London artwork shows the sunflowers on a pale yellow background while Philadelphia\u2019s features a soft blue; both exemplify the artist\u2019s desire to create what he described as \u201ca symphony of blue and yellow.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a historic display of signature works by a world-famous artist who sadly never achieved critical acclaim during his lifetime. But all of that aside, these are simply two marvelous paintings to see. <\/p>\n

\"Sunflowers,1888,Sunflowers,1888, Vincent van Gogh, Oil on canvas, 92.1 \u00d7 73 cm, Bought, Courtauld Fund, 1924, The National Gallery. Photo: \u00a9 The National Gallery, LondonThe National Gallery Photographic Department<\/p>\n

Their charm isn\u2019t solely in the pretty subject matter; it\u2019s all about the texture. Thick globs of paint in various shades of yellow give the appearance of a not-quite-settled image, enchanting the viewer with dynamic motion that can only be experienced up-close. Each bloom has its own stylistic personality as the paint takes on an almost sculptural presence. Both paintings create a mesmerizing display \u2014 pictures truly don\u2019t do it justice. <\/p>\n

\u2018Van Gogh\u2019s Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow\u2019 is on view through Oct. 11 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art<\/a>, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, 215-763-8100 or philamuseum.org<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2014 Rosa Cartagena<\/p>\n

\"KevinKevin Devine performs at Spruce Street Harbor Park on June 25, 2026Emily Bloch<\/p>\n

Kevin Devine at Spruce Street Harbor Park<\/p>\n

Some of the best shows of the summer can be enjoyed for free, from a picnic table, with a Tecate in hand. <\/p>\n

On Thursday night, I attended Kevin Devine\u2019s free show at Spruce Street Harbor Park, where he was joined by openers Shannen Moser and Abi Reimold. It was the first of Devine\u2019s short two weekend tour<\/a> through non-traditional spaces across the Northeast, including mostly house shows and an arcade. <\/p>\n

For about an hour, Devine played \u2014 just him and his acoustic guitar \u2014 a stretch of old and new songs from his repertoire that dates back over two decades. Currently, Devine\u2019s 11th LP is in the works. It will have distinct Philly ties, being recorded at Will Yip\u2019s Memory Music Studios<\/a> and produced by Steph Marziano<\/a>, one of Hayley Williams\u2019 longtime collaborators who cut her teeth in Philly\u2019s music scene. <\/p>\n

But back to Thursday night\u2019s show. It was one of an impressive series of free shows at Spruce Street Harbor Park programmed by 4333 Collective. <\/p>\n

Upcoming shows under the waterfront breeze will include Oso Oso, Pissed Jeans, Iron Chic and many more. Here\u2019s a list of all the free shows<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Emily Bloch<\/p>\n

\"InsideInside a recreation of Memorial Hall at inside ‘Revist: 1876,” a recreation of the Centennial Exhibition at the Fairmount Park Grounds in 1876. Before Memorial Hall was turned into the Please Touch Museum, it was the first site of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.Leo Manning for Center City District<\/p>\n

The first telephone at the Lits Building<\/p>\n

Before the Please Touch Museum<\/a> was the go-to hangout spot for our city\u2019s adventurous toddlers, it housed the first Philadelphia Museum of Art. <\/p>\n

The 70,000 square-foot Beaux Arts building was originally built to showcase the work of late 19th century American artists \u2014 including Philadelphia\u2019s own Thomas Eakins \u2014 for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. <\/p>\n

The five-month long 100th birthday party for America is also known as the first World\u2019s Fair on American soil<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The history of that Memorial Hall is told in one of four pavilions featured in \u201cRevisit 1876,\u201d <\/a> the 8,000 square-foot exhibition located in the ground floor of the Lits Building, produced by the nonprofit arm of the Center City<\/a> District Foundation. <\/p>\n

The exhibit aims to connect present day Philly with the innovations that were first introduced at the fair 150 years ago, said Paul Levy, The Foundation\u2019s executive director. <\/p>\n

And they do a pretty good job. <\/p>\n

\"AA replica of Alexander Bell’s first telephone as that was shown for the first time for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Fairmount Park. The replica is on exhibit at “Revisit: 1876.”Leo Manning for the Center City District<\/p>\n

Silhouettes of women twirling umbrellas wearing corseted dresses and dandy men in top hats greet visitors. Behind the sales counter is the replica of the first telephone that Alexander Graham Bell brought to the Centennial. Also behind the glass counter is a 3-foot terra cotta model of the Statue of Liberty made by the original sculptor Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Auguste Bartholdi<\/a>. <\/p>\n

There is even Centennial merch including puzzles and wallets, all in pristine condition. <\/p>\n

My favorite part is the flyover video from Independence Hall to Memorial Hall. It\u2019s layered with historic photos connecting 2026 to 1876. In other words the 2026 flyover includes our majestic City Hall. In the 1876 it was an active construction site. (Construction started in 1871 and wasn\u2019t finished until 1901)<\/p>\n

In addition to Memorial Hall, there are recreations of Machinery Hall, Horticultural Hall, and the Main Building. A special section spotlighting how the former enslaved abolitionist Frederick Douglass was prevented from speaking at the event and Ben Franklin\u2019s great-granddaughter Elizabeth Duane Gillespie\u2019s fight to have women included. <\/p>\n

\u201cRevisit 1876,\u201d<\/a> is open through December. The Lits Buildingis at 701 Market Street (Entrance is on the 8th Street side). Admission is free. <\/p>\n

\u2014 Elizabeth Wellington <\/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

As a columnist, I write about gender, race, fashion, culture and wellness. I share my personal take on the way we live and how we style our lives. <\/p>\n

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

I cover trending national news, specializing in youth and internet culture. I’m a recovering Florida girl on the hunt for the best bialy in town. <\/p>\n