Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Host Art-ish on Saturday, March 26, 2022

On Saturday, March 26, the Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will host Art-ish, an evening of live performances with some of Philadelphia’s most exciting emerging artists, musicians, and performers, including Beano French and Seraiah Nicole, backed by two of the city’s most in-demand DJ’s, AMH and Caution. Much of the action will take place on the museum’s ground floor in the celebrated spaces of Frank Gehry’s Core Project, including the Vaulted Walkway and Williams Forum, which opened last year to high acclaim.

Guests will enjoy light snacks, an open bar, a dessert spread featuring locally sourced sweet treats, plus a whiskey and rum tasting with Strivers’ Row Distillery, Philadelphia’s first Latin-owned distillery. They will also learn about Black-owned wine labels during a special tasting with Zachary Harris of Ikavina Wine and Spirits. Live art demonstrations are planned throughout the evening, ranging from graphic design to photography and jewelry making, and there will be dancing until midnight. Art-ish will support the museum and its efforts to expand outreach to younger and more diverse audiences.

“It has been some time since we’ve gathered Young Friends at the museum, and we’re excited to celebrate the new spaces and the exhibitions on view,” said Robert Marsch, Vice President of Accounting and Finance at Valley Forge Investment Corporation, who is co-chairing the Young Friends Development Committee with Norman Lawrence, Development Associate, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. “This year’s ‘friend-raiser’ is unique in that we’re spotlighting a range of local talents and performing artists in the context of the stunning new architectural spaces made possible by Frank Gehry’s Core Project. It will be unlike any other Young Friends event we’ve held before.”

Lawrence added: “As volunteers for the museum, it’s important for us to offer unique experiences for young people to engage with the museum so that we can continue to drive support and build appreciation for the arts in our city.” 

Live music will take place on the main stage in the Williams Forum, with DJ Caution spinning tracks to uplift the soul from 9:00 to 9:45 p.m. “To be able to create vibes inside of the art museum is major,” said DJ Caution. “I have seen this iconic building my whole life and never thought I would have the opportunity to showcase my talent inside of it. This is a big deal for me.”  

DJ AMH takes the stage from 9:50 to 10:35 p.m. This globetrotting DJ and producer fuses the latest hits with nostalgic sounds and Caribbean-influenced beats. “I have DJ’d all around Philly in some of the coolest venues we have here, but to DJ inside of the art museum is on a whole other level,” said DJ AMH. 

Seraiah Nicole is on deck from 10:40 to 11:10 p.m. Ms. Nicole is a national performer, activist, and founder of Seraiah Nicole Creations, LLC. Her debut album is The Truth Is, a combination of poetry, hip-hop, and soulful vocals.

Beano French will play from 11:15 p.m. until midnight. He garnered major success with his first extended play album, Just Beano, and is gearing up to release his next project later this year. He promises to bring his rare blend of vintage R&B and hip-hop. “I have seen so many big artists perform with the art museum as their backdrop, like John Legend, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and it has always given me the best Philly vibes, so to be performing inside of the art museum is an honor for me as an up-and-coming Philly artist,” says Beano French.

Eat & Drink 
Throughout the evening Constellation Culinary Group will provide snacks and sweet treats alongside our local partners Cloud Cups and Porco’s Porchetteria & Small Oven Pastry Shop. In the lounge, located on the second floor, Francisco Garcia will share the ins and outs of the Strivers’ Row handcrafted whiskey and rum-making process. In our Balcony Café, Zachary Harris of Ikavina Wine and Spirits will provide a special wine tasting and talk about Black-owned wine labels.

Art Activations
From 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., guests will enjoy a 360˚ view photobooth for selfies, and experience Tiny Room for Elephants with artist Justin Tyner. Tyner’s kaleidoscopic light installations resemble colorful stained-glass windows and inspire dance and movement.

Dream Poet Marshall James Kavanaugh will offer personalized, on-the-spot, typewritten poetry. Guests can pick any topic and receive a bespoke poem in return.

Philly Tarot Card Creator James Boyle will be stationed outside of the Main Store in the North Vaulted Walkway to demonstrate how he creates his detailed illustrations of popular Philly scenes.

Guests will create their own buttons with Stephanie Harvey, exit343 design, a graphic artist who will bring her screenprinted cards with bright colors, fun patterns, and a hint of humor.

Local jeweler Devin McNutt will demonstrate how she creates jewelry from upcycled vintage tin materials.

Visual artist Kristen Buck will demonstrate how she creates hand painted ceramics with a mystical vibe.

Olivia Paige will be onsite to do a live plaster casting of models’ breasts as part of a sculpture of various women to honor a “body positivity” mindset.

Current Exhibitions on View
On the first floor, guests can wander through three new exhibitions including Elegy: Lament in the 20^th Century (on view through July 24); Waiting for Tear Gas; and Pictures in Pictures (both on view through July 17), which explore salient themes of grief, protest, artistic mediation, and remembrance. The majority of the works are drawn from the museum’s vast collection of paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs from the 1970s until today.

Tickets
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting this link. Admission $55 for Young Friend and Artist members; $75 for other partygoers.

Safety protocols
To ensure everyone’s safety the museum will follow approved COVID protocols during the event. For more information, please visit the visitor tips and policies on our website.

Sponsors
The Young Friends Art-ish event has been generously supported by in-kind donations by many individuals and local businesses including: Cloud Cups, FliksnFlashing Photobooth, Porco's Porchetteria & Small Oven Pastry Shop, Wider Awake Screen Printing and Design, Two Robbers Hard Seltzer, Ikavina Wine and Spirits, and New Liberty Distillery.

Credits as of February 25, 2022.

Social Media @philamuseum

We are Philadelphia’s art museum. A world-renowned collection. A landmark building. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.

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