Best of the Arts

There was poetic mystery, Child’s play, an intense battle between Philly’s best food trucks and a whole lot of screaming – all of it part of NewsWorks Best of the Arts.

We’ve put together a few of our favorite Arts and Culture stories and some of yours – check out the top 10 list and let us know if there’s one we missed in the comments section below.

 

On the trail of missing public art in Philadelphia

By Peter Crimmins

Question: Whatever happened to the Harry Bertoia fountain with its curved copper flowers that used to dazzle visitors to the old Civic Center in West Philadelphia?

Answer: It’s in a cage inside a police tow-truck garage in North Philadelphia More »

 

The art of the scream

By Peter Crimmins

In 1947, DC Comics debuted one of the early female superheroes: Black Canary. Her superpower was her ability to scream. Both piercing and blunt, her scream could shatter walls, and shock villains to a standstill.  More »

 

Strong tea, with Schubert, and a remarkable lady

By Peter Crimmins

The Curtis Institute of Music in Center City has been training the world’s best musicians for 87 years. In 1931, a young piano prodigee named Eleanor Sokoloff entered the school, and never left. She has been on the piano faculty for 75 years.  More »

 

The science of humor – it’s Childs’ play

By Peter Crimmins, Video by Lindsay Lazarski

It doesn’t take a genius to see that there’s something funny going on in Philadelphia, but it took Jen Childs to turn it into a science. The co-founder of 1812 Productions—the city’s only all-comedy theater troupe—is a writer, producer, director, performer, mom, and wiseacre.  More »

Want to meet more people like Jen Childs? Check out the most creative people in the city on the Creative Connectors page from NewsWorks.org.

 

A historical Philadelphia tour for the hearing empowered

By Peter Crimmins

This month, the Independence Visitor Center has installed technology to help hearing-impaired people tour Independence Mall.  More »

 

Contending for Vendy: Philly’s food truck vendors vie for honor

By Peter Crimmins

Dean Varvoutis spends most of his workday trapped like a veal calf. The space inside his vegetarian food truck is barely bigger than he is. There is hardly any room to move, but with tubs of salads, falafal, wraps, and sauces within arm’s reach, he doesn’t have to move much.  More »

 

Phila. awards will crown local geek royalty

By Peter Crimmins, Video by Lindsay Lazarski

Michael Licisyn, 27, is a geek. “I take pride that I can beat the original Legend of Zelda in 90 minutes,” said the producer of medical videos who, in his spare time, creates the webisode series, “Living in 8 Bits.”  More »

 

Rembrandt’s Jesus paintings are a revelation

By Peter Crimmins

Jesus Christ is regarded by many to be more divine than human, so any earthly image of him could be considered tainted with idolatry.  More »

 

Verse case scenario: Researchers unlock poetic mystery

By Peter Crimmins

A collection of documents related to the birth of Philadelphia’s transit system has an unusual restriction—researchers wanting to access the Dr. Harold E. Cox Collection must first get through a long poem extolling the heroism of the collection’s savior.   More »

 

In 50th year, Philly Folk Fest mixes tech with tradition

By Peter Crimmins, Video by Kimberly Paynter

An estimated 5,000 people are expected to descend on a farm near Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia, and camp for three days.   More »