Galicha kanthas, produced especially in the 1950s and 1960s, are thick, uniformly rectangular quilts with vivid cross-stitch embroidery in intricate geometric forms on a surface of new cloth backed by upcycled fabrics. Usually, two diagonal (crossed) threads are overlaid with a third (couching) stitch to hold them in place. Although called galicha (carpet) kanthas, this type was commonly used on low beds rather than as floor coverings. Their name probably comes from the heavy carpet needle used to pierce these thick quilts. 🔎 See this Galicha in the exhibition "A Century of Kanthas: Women’s Quilts in Bengal, 1870s–1970s", on view through January 2024. "Galicha (Carpet Kantha)", 1940-1950, Artist/maker unknown

Get to know our artists in residence, Mickayel Thurin and Ben Passione. We asked them, "What advice would you share with budding artists?" "Draw, paint, sculpt and make things as much as you can! The more you do it, the more you will learn. EXPERIMENT! Don't worry about making perfect art. Art is more about the process of making something than about what you end up with. For me, art is something that gives me lots of joy and puts me in the zone where I can be myself 100%". –Mickayel Thurin @mickathurin "Have fun, most importantly!!! Relax and find joy in your work. Being an artist is your superpower, take advantage of this". –Ben Passione @benjaminpassione

Join us this Sunday, July 9th for an In-studio workshop for kids ages 9-12. In this workshop, we explore painting and textures with artist-in-residence Mickayel Thurin (@mickathurin ) $20 ($16 members) per kid, per class. Tuition assistance available upon request. Learn more about the Artist Workshop: Color & Texture at the link in our bio.

Hear the stories behind the portraits of acclaimed Philadelphia photographer Judith Joy Ross with an exclusive audio tour given by Ross, along with photography experts and exhibition curators, free of charge. Using your smartphone, you can hear Ross talk about how her portraits celebrate local people and communities in eastern Pennsylvania (headphones recommended). Listen at the exhibition, at home or anywhere. Access the @smartify.art audio tour at the "Judith Joy Ross" link in our bio. 🔎 The Judith Joy Ross exhibition is on view through August 6 Portrait of Judith Joy Ross. by Rineke Dijkstra.

Don't miss your chance to see the exhibition Scandal & Virtue: Staging Kabuki in Osaka Prints. This exhibition examines the way Kabuki actor prints in Japan during the Edo period (1615—1868) functioned as conduits of fame and scandal. 🔎 See the exhibition before it closes July 24th. Learn more at the link in our bio. "View of a Theater Backstage in Dōtonbori, Osaka (Ōsaka Dōtonbori shibai gakuya no zu)," 1821, Utagawa Kunisada I (Japanese, 1786–1865) Published by Nishimura.

Get to know our artists in residence. Each week we ask them a new question. This week we asked Mickayel Thurin and Ben Passione: What was your favorite thing to make as a kid? "My favorite thing to make as a kid were drawings of my mom, dad and brothers. I always loved painting their portraits and would do portraits of them for birthday presents, mother's day gifts, and father's day gifts every year!" -Mickayel Thurin @mickathurin "Watercolor landscapes, Monet/Bob Ross rip offs, a cabin on a lake in the woods with dramatic clouds and or at sunset, maybe with a mountain range in the background, flowers and shrubs in the foreground. I would also copy my hockey and basketball cards doing portraits of the players in pencil on paper. I would draw from my comics, Wolverine and Nightcrawler. If I could see the image I knew I could reproduce it." –Ben Passione @benjaminpassione

Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July! See this work and others in the exhibition: Of God and Country: American Art from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection. "American Flag with Cone-Shaped Fireworks", 1983, by William L. Hawkins (American, 1895–1990)

Bring the family to Art Kids Summer! We'll be featuring local artists and exploring the basic elements of art: color, shape and line. Follow along for more information or click the link in our bio.

Meet our Artists in Residence Mickayel Thurin and Ben Passione. @mickathurin @benjaminpassione Mickayel is a Haitian American artist based in Philadelphia. Her work has been exhibited at various venues and she is represented by Gross McCleaf Gallery. Thurin founded Seen Heard Connected, a nonprofit using art and storytelling to support marginalized individuals. Ben Passione creates abstract oil paintings and mixed media works that reflect a slow and reactionary process, influenced by Kandinsky, Klee, Castle, Mitchell, and Bonnard. Don't miss this talented pair as they explore Color in Art Kids Summer on select days from June 29 – July 9. #artkids

Whistler's Mother inspired a generation of local artists to portray their mothers in their art, including Cecilia Beaux, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Dox Thrash, Alice Neel, Sidney Goodman, and others. Responding directly or taking diverse approaches, these artists engage in dialogue with Whistler's iconic portrait through paintings, drawings, and etchings. "The Artist's Mother: Whistler & Philadelphia" invites reflection on the individual women represented and the intricate relationships between artist and sitter, child and parent. “Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1: Portrait of the Artist’s Mother,” 1871, by James McNeill Whistler (Musée d’Orsay, Paris: acquired in 1891)

‎عيد مبارك من متحف الفنون في فيلادلفيا Eid Mubarak from PMA Today marks the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice. It’s also the culmination of the annual hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca that all Muslims hope to make once in their lifetime. Over the next three days, Muslims will engage in prayers and feasts with their families and communities.

🎨 We’re kicking off Art Kids Summer with the theme of Color. We’re celebrating Sam Gilliam’s drape paintings in our Art Kids Studio. Watch husband and wife artists @mickathurin and @benjaminpassione play with color and abstraction on select days June 29-July 9. Learn more about Art Kids Summer at the link in our bio and follow along to learn more about our Artists in Residency over the next couple of weeks! #philly #phillyfamily #artkids #summerbreak #philadelphiamuseumofart "Dakar I," 1969, Sam Gilliam. Purchased with the Katharine Levin Farrell Fund and the Joseph E. Temple Fund, 2007