Haddonfield residents and visitors might have noticed some famous pieces of art appearing in town. Paintings of flowers, people and places are just a few of the pieces passersby will experience as artwork from the Philadelphia Museum of Art graces the streets of Haddonfield.
On May 5, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with the support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, launched “Inside/Out,” an initiative that brings high-quality reproductions of art into communities throughout the region, with Haddonfield being the only town from New Jersey. Along community sidewalks, people will begin to discover masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art in pop-up exhibitions.
“We are delighted to share works of art from our collection with the residents of Haddonfield. Community engagement is at the heart of who we are and what we do. Not only do these beautifully framed reproductions faithfully represent important works in the collection, they are here to create surprising encounters and encourage more people to explore everything the museum has to offer,” said Timothy Rub, the museum’s George D. Widener director and CEO.
“I’m thrilled that Haddonfield is the first town in New Jersey to be chosen for the Art Museum’s ‘Inside/Out’ exhibit. For me, it’s another example of how efforts to preserve and enhance our great downtown district are paying off. It’s a recognition of those efforts by so many people, past and present,” Mayor Jeff Kasko said.
All works are located within walking or bike-riding distance of each other. Some will be mounted outdoors on walls while others will be freestanding. Each is displayed in a frame representative of the time period in which it was created, and all are waterproof as they are displayed outside. Along with the artwork are informative labels with commentary by museum curators explaining what they most admire about the works.
Names and locations of the paintings are:
- “Rondel Depicting Holofernes’s Army Crossing the Euphrates River” from France at the First Presbyterian Church, 20 Kings Highway East;
- “Mont Sainte-Victoire” by Paul Cezanne at Grace Church in Haddonfield, 19 Kings Highway East;
- “The Libraries Are Appreciated” by Jacob Lawrenece and “Dog Barking at the Moon” by Joan Miro at the Haddonfield Public Library, 20 N. Haddon Ave.;
- “Marine” by Simon Jacobsz de Vlieger at the First Baptist Church, 124 Kings Highway East;
- “Tanis” by Daniel Garber at Kings Court Gazebo, Kings Court and Ellis Street;
- “Two Calla Lilies on Pink” by Georgia O’Keeffe at Kings Court, Kings Court and Kings Highway East;
- “Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)” by Sir Frederic Leighton at “Uno” Sculputre by Miguel Antonio Horn, Mechanic Street and North Haddon Avenue;
- “Pichincha” by Frederic Edwin Church at the Haddonfield Police Department, 242 Kings Highway East;
- “The Kiss” by Constantin Brancusi at Tatem Memorial Garden, 309 Kings Highway East;
- “Poplars on the Bank of the Epte River” by Claude Monet at Haddonfield High School, 425 Kings Highway East.
“People should come see these pieces to learn something about art and the Art Museum, which is a real treasure so close to us. As an outside exhibit, this is easy and accessible to everyone,” Kasko said.
The “Inside/Out” exhibition is an extension of Haddonfield’s own art initiative, with the Markeim Arts Center often showing exhibitions, as well as the Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust, which two more sculptures will be having an unveiling on May 27.
“I think it goes along very well with our program to increase art and sculptural awareness in our town and to celebrate the arts on a continuing basis,” Stuart Harting, founder of the Outdoor Sculpture Trust and Haddonfield resident, said. “For a walk-able town to have all of these exhibits, we hope it brings people to our town to enjoy it.”
Those involved with the “Inside/Out” initiative hope residents and visitors come to see the artwork and how unintimidating and beautiful art really can be.
“I hope they can approach art in a really casual and fun way. You don’t need a significant education to appreciate art. It is meant to make you happy, make you draw connections and also just have fun interactions. The museum is theirs, and the citizens should know they are always welcome at the museum and that art isn’t scary or intimidating; it’s fun and beautiful and meant to make your life a little better,” Gina Ciralli, “Inside/Out” project coordinator, said.
Haddonfield residents will also receive free general admission to the Philadelphia Museum of Art from July 17 through 19; all they need is proof of zip code. The museum has the original pieces of art seen in Haddonfield as well as many other famous pieces visitors will want to see.
For more information, go to philamuseum.org/inside out.
