Philadelphia Show, Celebrating 60th Anniversary, Opens April 29
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Show – one of the leading art and design fairs in the United States, has announced its 60th Anniversary edition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art will run from April 29 to May 1. This year’s event will feature 40 US exhibitors specializing in fine art, design, antiques, Americana, folk art, ceramics, porcelain, silver, jewelry, textiles and decorative arts.
The Philadelphia Show boasts a diverse group of exhibitors showcasing works spanning from the Sixteenth to the Twenty-First Centuries, with a core DNA rooted in American art further bolstered by international influences that include important European and Asian works.
The Philadelphia Show has recently made a commitment to amplify its Modern and contemporary design offerings, welcoming dealers who specialize in this sector.
“We’re thrilled and grateful to present the 60th anniversary of the Philadelphia Show in person at the top of the Rocky Steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art,” said Huntley Platt, manager of the Philadelphia Show. “For the first time in two years, attendees will be able to enjoy the offerings from the country’s finest dealers in Americana, antiques, fine art, midcentury furniture, ceramics and jewelry and interact with the dealers that we missed in our two virtual shows. We’ve reinstated the popular dealer talks, which give attendees the opportunity to learn about the works of art from our knowledgeable dealers. This year there will be something for everyone whether attendees are seasoned collectors or simply looking for an interesting experience.”
For the first time since its inception, the Philadelphia Show will take place on the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the institution’s East Terrace. This shift represents a significant step in the fair’s evolution and growth and marks a return to in-person after two years of a virtual event format. Since 2018, The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Show Committee on behalf of the museum, have organized the fair. The Philadelphia Museum of Art in a partnership has organized the Philadelphia Show since 2018. The museum location offers the fair an opportunity to broaden its scope and better serve its audience of collectors, designers, industry experts and tastemakers.
“Overlooking Philadelphia from the museum’s East Terrace is a perfect way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Philadelphia Show,” said Eleanore H. Gadsden, chair of the Philadelphia Show. “The show offers the best of antiques, art and design on the market today and its location evokes the 300-year history of the city as well as a tradition of excellence.”
Throughout its six decades, the Philadelphia Show has become a mainstay of the city’s flourishing culture, art and design scene, serving as the go-to destination to experience, discuss and exhibit fine art, antiques, and collectible design in the Greater Philadelphia area and United States at large. The fair will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a diversified exhibitor list and a special line-up of programming leading up to and during the fair that includes a virtual lecture series titled “New Conversations with The Philadelphia Show.” The series will feature three discussion-style lectures on antiques, fine art and design moderated by curators from the Philadelphia Museum of Art in conversation with distinguished guests.
This April, the Philadelphia Show welcomes back many of its principal exhibitors who have enjoyed success as regular participants of the fair, including Olde Hope, Kentshire, Lillian Nassau, Moderne Gallery and Spencer Marks.
“With the new venue and approach, we look at the 60th anniversary of the Philadelphia Show as a celebration of its continuing strength and growth,” said Robert Aibel, founder of Moderne Gallery. “When Moderne Gallery first exhibited at the show in 1997, we were the first gallery to be invited to exclusively show Twentieth Century material. The Philadelphia Show was evolving, and continues to evolve, as will be clear in its 2022 iteration.”
Among the 2022 exhibitors, several of them have exhibited with the Philadelphia Show from as early as 1969, attesting to the fair’s longevity and relevance to its dealers and audiences throughout its tenure. These galleries include Cooley Gallery, Jeffrey Tillou Antiques, Ralph M. Chait Galleries and S.J. Shrubsole.
“We are very much looking forward to the return of the Philadelphia Show this spring, and we are delighted with the new location of the Philadelphia Museum of Art,” said Steven J. Chait and Andrew H. Chait, president and vice president of Ralph M. Chait Galleries. “We have been exhibitors at the show for 20 years and cherish the wonderful relationships we have forged in this time with clients, fellow dealers, show committee members and the always very interested public who attend. The Philadelphia Show is one of the most important antiques fairs in the country. It is a classic in its own right. We commend the show on its 60 years and look forward to remaining a part of it for many years to come!”
All proceeds from the Philadelphia Show this year support the Division of Digital Resources and Content Strategy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The division creates programs for virtual visitors from the local community and around the world.
For additional information, www.thephiladelphiashow.com.
