Saturday, July 13, 2019

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Tonight's picture was taken in July of 2009. I took Mattie to the hospital that day for his outpatient physical therapy appointment. Understand that at that point in time we did not know his cancer had metastasized. Instead, Mattie's chemo and surgeries were behind him and our focus turned to rehabilitation, with the hopes of sending Mattie back to school in September. Despite how physically debilitated Mattie was, he was a good sport about physical therapy and gave it his all. 






Quote of the day: I never walked through the streets of any city with as much satisfaction as those of Philadelphia. The neatness and cleanliness of all animate and inanimate things, houses, pavements, and citizens, is not to be surpassed. ~ Frances Wright

Tonight's blog concludes my postings of my trip to Philadelphia. What I am highlighting here is what Karen and I did on Wednesday of this week. If you read the past two nights, then you know we were very busy! We made the most out of every moment we had together. 

On Wednesday morning, we walked to Frieda's restaurant. It was literally two blocks from our hotel. There is a very artistic feeling to this restaurant, from the food to the atmosphere!


Our first stop that morning was to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. The garden is an immersive mixed media art environment that is completely covered with mosaics. The creator, Isaiah Zagar, used handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirror, and international folk art to chronicle his life and influences. The space is made up of two indoor galleries and a bi-level outdoor sculpture garden.

Zagar has devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood since the late 1960's, when he moved to the area with his wife, Julia. The couple helped spur the revitalization of the area by renovating derelict buildings and adding colorful mosaics on both private and public walls. The Zagars, teamed with other artists and activists, transformed the neighborhood into a prosperous artistic haven and successfully led protests against the addition of a new highway that would have eliminated South Street. This period of artistic rebirth was coined the “South Street Renaissance.” After the street was saved, Zagar continued creating mosaic murals, resulting in hundreds of public artworks over the next five decades.

In 1991, Zagar started working on the vacant lots located near his studio at 1020 South Street. He first mosaicked the buildings on either side of the property, then spent years sculpting multi-layer walls out of found objects. In 2004, the Boston-based owner of the lots discovered Zagar’s installation and decided to sell the land, calling for the work to be dismantled. Unwilling to witness the destruction of the now-beloved neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, quickly became incorporated as a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving the artwork at the PMG site and throughout the South Street region. Zagar was then able to develop the site even further; excavating tunnels and grottos.

What they don't advertise on their website is that the artist, who is now 80 years old, has bipolar disorder (a disorder associated with episodes of mood swings which can range from depressive lows to manic highs). We learned this from a museum employee and it was also mentioned inside the museum that the gardens are a form of therapy. The connection between mental illness and creativity has been well documented. 

I admire Zahar for turning the chaos in his brain and body into something positive for himself and the community. I would say the Magic Garden is a magical place that makes you pause and reflect on messages and words Zahar inserts throughout the space.   

Metal work in the midst of the mosaics!

To me it was a fascinating place..... filled with twists, turns, gardens, chairs, and messages.

Can you see the message?

Mosaics everywhere! Two outdoor floors of gardens!

I snapped a photo for a mother and daughter. The daughter returned the favor and took this photo of Karen and me. 

Our next stop was a visit to the famous Barnes Foundation. Dr. Alfred Barnes was born into a working-class family in Philadelphia. He graduated from medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to study chemistry in Germany. He made his fortune by co-inventing the silver-based antiseptic Argyrol with his German colleague Hermann Hille.

In 1908, he established the A. C. Barnes Company, in Philadelphia, which he continued to run until 1929. A progressive employer, Dr. Barnes organized his workers' day to include a two-hour seminar in which they would discuss the writings of philosophers like William James and John Dewey, and examine original works of art.

It was Dr. Barnes’s interest in art that led him to renew his friendship with an old high-school classmate, the artist William Glackens. In 1912, he sent Glackens to Paris to scout the galleries for modern paintings. The artist bought more than 30 works on Barnes’s behalf, including Van Gogh’s The Postman and Picasso’s Young Woman Holding a Cigarette. 

The Barnes Foundation owns more than 4,000 objects, including over 900 paintings, estimated to be worth about $25 billion. These are primarily works by Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Modernist masters.

I of course was thrilled to visit because for 7 years, I have taught an art series at Mattie's school for kindergarten students. The series focused on Matisse and Picasso. The Barnes is known for having a significant number of their great works. As I saw these paintings, I felt transported back to my art series. This painting is by Matisse. Matisse was featured removed and outside the window, while his wife and children were in the foreground.  

A Picasso. Picasso took up the issue of the alienated and dispossessed of the city in his work. Street performers, such as the figure of the harlequin represented for Picasso the dark side of the city and were feature prominently in his works.

The Barnes display their masterpieces in unique and engaging ways. First of all there is NO signage next to any painting. Instead, museum goers can access a guide book in each room that will provide information on the art. However, how the art is displayed on the walls is noteworthy. It is more like going to someone's house than a museum. In that pieces are not displayed by artist, time period, or subject matter. Instead, they seem to be paired together based on color, composition, and size. 

I snapped this photo because on top is a Matisse and on the bottom is a Picasso. These two art masters were rivals! Arch rivals, so I think it is particularly meaningful that their art is displayed together. After all, both artists studied each others works and it is well known that they influenced one another's painting style. 

A typical wall in the Museum. 

Also noteworthy are the vast number of Renoir paintings on display! Absolutely incredible collection. 

Do you see the metal works hanging over each painting? That is by design. As the specific pieces were chosen to capture your eye and draw you to the painting. 

Something about this little boy (by Renoir) reminded me of Mattie. 

Our third stop that day was to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

At the bottom of the Museum's steps is the famous Rocky statue. Rocky had quite a line of people who wanted their photo with him!

See what I mean!? 

The fictional Rocky Balboa of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies was immortalized in bronze by artist A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980 for a scene in the film Rocky III.

After the filming was complete, Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia.

Since 2006, the statue has been located at the bottom of the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and there is a near constant stream of people waiting in line to get their pictures taken with the “Italian Stallion.”

As famous as the statue is, the steps leading to the east entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, aka “The Rocky Steps,” are also noteworthy. In fact, they’ve been declared the second most famous movie filming location in the world.

Each year, tens of thousands of people recreate the scene from the legendary Rocky movie and make the trek up the steps. Keep in mind that is 72 steps!

This is the view of Philadelphia from a top of the 72 steps. Yes we climbed them!

The Museum had a special exhibit called, The Impressionist's Eye. This of course being a Monet. I would say I saw some of the best Impressionists paintings in the world this week. 

I am attracted to sunflowers. As they remind me of Team Mattie, who supported us during Mattie's 14 month cancer journey. Many times friends would bring me sunflowers to cheer me up. Sunflowers to me symbolize love, support, and community. This of course was painted by Van Gogh. 

 A Renoir!

 A Degas!

 A Cassatt!

After the impressionists, we explored the Museum's depiction of a Japanese ceremonial tea house. 

For our last dinner, we visited Barclay Prime. Part of me was hesitant to go there because I think the traditional steak house can be overdone. Yet this restaurant continues to get top reviews. What caught my eye when booking the reservation was that the interior wasn't dark. It did not look like your regular steak house. I loved the interior.... it was bright, open, soothing colors and beautiful chandeliers. 

I would say the food was amazing. In addition to that so was the service. When they found out we were celebrating our birthdays, they brought out a special treat for us. 

A dinner to remember! I hope you have enjoyed my Philly postings. I would have to say it is a wonderful city to explore and is well worth the trip.