It might feel like you’re being watched in the Salon Gallery this summer. That's because PAFA's current exhibition of contemporary self-portraits by artists, "Eye Contact," explores how we see, judge ourselves to each other, and take control of a theoretical artistic concept known as gaze.
PAFA has acquired 111 historic, modern, and contemporary works to its permanent collection—including one of the earliest painted views of the Schuylkill River by artist George Beck. In addition, PAFA added works by the Brandywine Workshop, Helen Frankenthaler, Charles Grafly, John Rhoden, Aaron…
Critiques are integral to the learning and curricular experience at PAFA, designed to push students and make the most of their time while in school. Second-year MFA student Jess Aquino discusses her experiences with the critique process, and how they have shaped the work she makes.
Who came first—Philadelphia or New York? In "From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic," PAFA explores an untold version of American art history.
An unexpected job loss in 2011 forced Illustration student Frank Genuardi '19 to rethink his future and reconsider past decisions. So Genuardi went back to community college with the intent to earn a degree in business. Upon re-enrolling, he discovered he was a few credits shy of earning a degree in…
An artist’s education doesn’t end at graduation. PAFA has a long-standing tradition of encouraging artists to explore the world and travel. Awarded each spring, PAFA's travel prizes—the Cresson, von Hess, and the newly-established Rubens—are among the most coveted at the Academy.
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is pleased to announce the 2019 recipients of its most prestigious awards, scholarships, and prizes. This year, PAFA awarded over $550K to its students. The award winners were announced during PAFA’s Commencement ceremony on May 10, 2019.
Rhona Hofmeyr '20 is a trained opera singer and studies sculpture at PAFA. After a summer study abroad trip to Greece, she was inspired to create more installations, which allows her to merge her creative interests.
To get prepared for a digital career in video games, PAFA-Penn student Gianna Del Rossi '21 chose to PAFA to study traditional fine art and focus on her technical skills. After finishing up at PAFA this spring, Del Rossi is going on to study at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on…
There are several Walt Whitman-related artworks in PAFA’s collection, but in celebration of Whitman’s 200th birthday, contemporary curator Jodi Throckmorton thought there was room for one more Whitman work in the permanent collection. She commissioned artist Mark Stockton to create a drawing of the…
Cardin Moffett '19 came to PAFA to study painting but he couldn’t shake the nearly 20 years experience he has working in technology, as a graphic designer and programmer. As a recipient of a grant from PAFA’s Fine Arts Venture Fund, Moffett was able to marry his technology skills with art and create…
Graduation is a time when many students are getting ready to join “the real world” and are often uncertain of the road ahead for them. But PAFA’s 2019 graduation speaker, artist Chitra Ganesh, urges students to recognize that while they are on the cusp of something new they shouldn’t discount the…
Perspectives
About PAFA
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the fine arts, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and a world-class collection of American art. 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.
