“There are those however, that argue in spite of its deficiencies; Philadelphia is worth the cost of paint and brush. It is a city imbued with a spirit of resilience, and the art it produces reflects this.”
-C.A. Stephens
Essay by C.A. Stephens for Paradigm Magazine & Artwork by Philadelphia artist, NoseGo
The art world lays claim to many great cities, cultural titans that have behind them generations of creative influence, eclipsing both imitators and would be usurpers. New York City in particular, is an artistic powerhouse that, engulfs everything within reach, including Philadelphia its nearest neighbor. Amidst a constantly changing arts landscape, the town struggles to define itself; a seemingly impossible task when attempted beneath the shadow of the empire city. However, recently it has made tremendous strides towards claiming its place among the world’s arts capitals, gaining momentum in the wake of a tumultuous financial climate, and evolving views about the purpose and direction of art in this country.
In a few short years, Philadelphia’s (albeit less than meteoric) rise in artistic output is thanks in part to a feeble economy. The city boasts a unique surplus of industrial era complexes it is more than happy to part with, for bargains unheard of in Manhattan or Park Slope. These antiquated textile mills and factories make ideal locations for burgeoning arts communities and expatriate artists, who have left the trendy confines of London’s West End and New York’s So-Ho, to make a name for them-selves amongst the graffiti and urban decay synonymous with the city founded by a Quaker.
Given Philadelphia’s smaller size and neighborhood feel, it is a city almost free of pretention. Artists may express themselves without being cajoled into capitulating to a market and, making an impression is secondary to the art’s impression on the artist. In many respects, Philadelphia is experiencing a renaissance on par with Harlem’s during the early part of the twentieth century, or even Berlin post-war. Nevertheless, despite Philly’s recent upturn in art, many are still reluctant to mention it and New York in the same breath, let alone the same sentence. It is still, by most accounts, shrouded below an overcast it cannot escape; the cultural rain-tarp over the proverbial Chevy in the garage.
Philadelphia is still a whisper on the tongues of artists and art lovers alike and, in many respects rightly so, as it continues its upstream struggle against a current that inevitably leads back to New York. It still has years, decades perhaps, before it can prove itself to be worthy of big brother’s glory. The fact remains, it is more difficult to sell one’s art in Philadelphia than in New York. Even if one were to make a decent living creating and selling his/her art, they would be hard pressed to find the fame of a Warhol or Basquiat.
There are those however, that argue in spite of its deficiencies; Philadelphia is worth the cost of paint and brush. It is a city imbued with a spirit of resilience, and the art it produces reflects this. Its participation in the development of this nation’s creative tradition should not be understated and, any serious discussion about the direction of art is no discussion at all, without recognizing the contributions the city has made to the cultural tapestry of this country.
Ultimately, it is not a question as to whether Philadelphia is comparable to New York. Rather, the most significant question is whether the city, and its art, will endure. For what it lacks in size and reputation, it compensates for with an originality and passion that is uniquely Philadelphian. It is more than a frontier for new and relocating artists, reluctant to pay big rents for studio space in New York or L.A.; it is on the verge of a rebellion, in ideas that will one day make it tantamount with a new kind of art.
The twenty-first century is in its infancy and, as old establishments topple, newer forms will break free to the surface. It will happen because history has showed us it will. Before New York there was Paris, and before Paris, Rome, and before Rome there was Athens; likewise there will be art after New York and newer places to find it. Philadelphia is still very much in the shadows, but like the tenacious philodendron, some things grow best out of direct sunlight.
In spite of shadows, art is the lexicon of society’s most profound and profane expressions. It is human existence unplugged and squeezed on canvas, page, and stage for all to gawk at. Whether in New York or Philadelphia, reputations prominent and improper, art is a crucially human condition that we all share; and as appreciators and creators, we are entrusted with its preservation, so that future generations may partake of and contribute to its lasting impact.
