Local arts group InLiquid is celebrating 25 years of creativity and community across Philadelphia, and they’re doing so in true Philly style.
INLIQUID TOASTS 25, an exhibition showcasing more than 60 artworks by 33 InLiquid artists, is now on display at the Off the Wall Gallery inside Dirty Frank’s. The installation celebrates a quarter century of InLiquid’s work connecting working artists with opportunities and the public at large.
At nearly 100 years old, Dirty Franks, located at 347 S. 13th Street, is one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most beloved bars. If you’ve ever enjoyed a drink — or two, or three — at this legendary institution, you know the vibe — cash only, cheap beer, cramped booths, tchotchkes hidden in plain sight, and great conversations.
Many might not know, however, that the north wall of the bar has been a pioneering alternative art space since the 1950s. Off the Wall Gallery held its first formally organized exhibition in 1978 with the opening of ‘Her Name Is Not Anonymous Anymore’, a groundbreaking all-woman exhibition with a strong feminist perspective.
“We thought it was only fitting to collaborate with this uniquely Philadelphia institution that has been celebrating local artists for decades,” said Rachel Zimmerman, InLiquid’s founder and executive director in a statement.
InLiquid strives to make the work of local artists accessible to all, providing free contemporary art programming in their gallery space in the Crane Arts building in Kensington, as well as through satellite spaces. According to the nonprofit, “InLiquid connects communities, and creates opportunities to use art as a catalyst for civic engagement and for calls to social change.”
INLIQUID TOASTS 25 is on-view now through Sept. 20. The public is also invited to attend a free opening reception on Thursday, Aug. 1, from 7 to 10 p.m. For more information, visit offthewallgallery.org
