The Barnes to host First Friday, ‘Matisse in Morocco’ and more this month

This month, The Barnes Foundation will host several programs, from an evening of art and live music to a closer look at the career of famed French visual artist Henri Matisse, and more.

Here’s what Philadelphians can expect in June.

First Friday: Yasser Tejeda & PHLAFF

This Friday, June 6, guests can enjoy an evening of art, live music, film, cocktails, and light fare at Barnes’ monthly First Friday mixer. The night features musical performances by Yasser Tejeda and DJ Bobby Flowers, short films from this year’s Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF), and access to Barnes’ second-floor collection galleries.

Tejeda is an award-winning Dominican composer, guitarist, vocalist, and producer. This Friday, he will perform music from his latest album, La Madrugá, which features Afro-Caribbean compositions and a sound that blends traditional styles with merengue, jazz, and rock. Later that evening, DJ Bobby Flowers will also play a set on the West Terrace.

The film screening will begin at 8 p.m. and is presented in partnership with the PHLAFF, which showcases emerging and established Latine creatives and filmmakers by celebrating the richness and diversity and experiences of the cultures, while fostering cross-cultural understanding and dialogue.

Matisse, Morocco, and The Seated Riffian

On Tuesday, June 10, members can enjoy a two-hour workshop on famed French visual artist Henri Matisse. Matisse wintered in Tangier, Morocco, in 1912 and 1913 as a means of escape from the cubism that dominated Paris. Matisse found new artistic inspiration in Morocco through the country’s sublime light and the tradition of Islamic artwork. Most of Matisse’s works from his years in Tangier went to private collections in Moscow, but one of his perhaps finest works, ‘The Seated Riffian’, hangs in the Main Gallery at the Barnes.

The workshop, led by Jeff Koehler, author of ‘Matisse in Morocco: A Journey of Light and Color‘, will focus on this portrait. Members will have an opportunity to examine the piece closely, revealing surprising details about the origins of the most imposing painting of Matisse’s career and how the artist’s time in Morocco influenced the rest of his life.

Looking and Listening series

On Monday, June 16, The Barnes’ Looking and Listening series explores the relationship between visual art and music. Members can enjoy various recordings, ranging from the compositions of Stravinsky and Ravel to African American spirituals, and discuss how the perception of art changes when sight meets sound.

This month, The Barnes will explore the powerful connections between impressionist art and music. Taking a look at the relationship between works from impressionist painters like Claude Monet, to the works of composer Claude Debussy, the father of musical impressionism. Like Monet, Debussy was a key figure in the impressionist movement. He rejected the established academic approach and created a new style of music that would influence generations of composers.

Attendees will enjoy Barnes Method–inspired looking and listening exercises as celebrated flutist Mimi Stillman performs examples from the music of the impressionist period.

Curators in Conversation: From Paris to Provence

Finally, on Sunday, June 29, the Barnes will host the opening day of ‘From Paris to Provence: French Painting at the Barnes’ in the Comcast NBCUniversal Auditorium, with access also available online via livestream. Attendees will engage in conversation with curator Cindy Kang and examine how place informed the work of modern painters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On-site attendance includes access to the exhibition.