PHILADELPHIA–October 1, 2024 - The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) opens Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self, an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture, and works on paper from the collections of PAFA and the Brodsky Center that highlight the art historical concept of "making strange.” The exhibition opens November 14, 2024 and is on view through April 6, 2025 in the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Gallery in the Samuel M. V. Hamilton Building. Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self is curated by Han McCoy, PAFA’s Rhoden Curatorial Assistant. 

The works included in Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self explore the historic, modern, and contemporary application of “making strange,” a term coined by art historian Dr. Marcia Hall in her book Sacred Image in the Age of Art: Titian, Tintoretto, Barocci, El Greco, Caravaggio (2011). It refers to a style that emerged during the Counter Reformation (1545-1648) where artists intentionally distorted forms and used symbolism as a technique to create a more engaging and interactive experience for the viewer. Inspired by this technique, Baroque artists (1600s - early 1700s) reinterpreted traditional iconographic images, taking creative liberties until the final composition significantly diverged from the original. The implementation of "making strange" as an artistic practice encourages longer, closer viewing, with the goal of inspiring emotion and deep self-reflection. Making Strange as an exhibition is an exercise in close viewing, recognizing intentional distortion and reinterpretation of traditional sacred imagery across cultures as a means of fostering introspection and meaningful dialogue based on one’s own lived experience.

PAFA is open free to the public on Sunday, November 24.  

PAFA’s regular hours are Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Reserve tickets and access further information about visiting.  

About the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Founded in 1805 as the first school and museum of fine arts in the United States, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) celebrates the transformative power of art and art-making. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.

Bloomberg Connects!

Enhance your visit to PAFA with its digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Experience PAFA offsite or onsite as a visual guide with multimedia and audio features and an interactive map. The Bloomberg Connects app is available for free via Google Play or the App Store. For more information.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Christine Reimert, Devine + Partners
(610) 639-2136
creimert@devinepartners.com 

Featured Image: Anne Minich, Vermillion, 1991, mixed media including polychrome wood and metal, 29 ¾ x 20 x 1 ¾.