Barnes Foundation

We're so excited for this! 🥳👏

Celebrating 100 years of education at the Barnes! 🎉 The Barnes Foundation was officially dedicated on March 19, 1925. Dr. Barnes held a dedication ceremony for the Gallery, with speeches by John Dewey, who was named as the inaugural Director of Education, and Leopold Stokowski, the legendary conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra who spoke on “behalf of the artists.” Read more about Barnes's trailblazing history in Blake Gopnik's new biography "The Maverick's Museum: Albert Barnes and His American Dream, available March 18th in the Barnes Shop ➡ get your copy: https://bit.ly/4bTTSCR "From prominent critic and biographer Blake Gopnik comes a compelling new portrait of America’s first great collector of modern art, Albert Coombs Barnes. Gopnik’s meticulous research reveals Barnes as a fierce advocate for the egalitarian ideals of his era’s progressive movement. But while his friends in the movement worked to reshape American society, Barnes wanted to transform the nation’s aesthetic life, taking art out of the hands of the elite and making it available to the average American."—Ecco Books. Join us at the Parkway Central Library - Free Library of Philadelphia for a captivating conversation with renowned art critic and author Blake Gopnik and Dr. Alison Boyd, Director of Research and Interpretation at the Barnes Foundation, as they explore the life and legacy of Albert Barnes. The 2024/25 Author Events Series is presented by Comcast. Get tickets ➡ https://bit.ly/3Dxwte2

A glance at a painted face can feel like an encounter across time—familiar, moving, even uncanny. What was the sitter thinking? What did the artist want us to see? 👀 In this course, we’ll explore portraiture from across cultures and centuries, studying key works in the Barnes collection. Through Renoir’s soft family scenes, Matisse’s bold colors, and Van Gogh’s expressive strokes, we’ll uncover the layers of identity, status, and meaning behind each gaze. How do these faces speak to us today? We will also consider how portraits convey meaning across time, paying attention to the ways Dr. Barnes’s ensembles might influence our understanding of these works. About Faces: A History of the Art of Portraiture 📆 Tuesdays, April 8 – April 29 🕕 6pm – 8pm EST 💻 Online 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/41ua0GE 🎨 Amedeo Modigliani. Jeanne Hébuterne (detail) 1919. The Barnes Foundation

How does music transform the way we experience art? 🎶✨ This course invites you to explore the deep connections between sound and vision. In the galleries, surrounded by Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and Cézanne, we’ll listen to recordings from Stravinsky and Ravel to African American spirituals, discovering how perception shifts when the visual and aural meet. Some sessions will dive into historical influences, while others focus on immersive, sensory exploration. Join us to experience art in a whole new way. Looking and Listening: Musical Visions 📆 Monday, April 7 🕕 6pm – 8pm 📍 On-site 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/3QMsjly 🎨 Henri Matisse. The Dance (detail), 1932–33. The Barnes Foundation, 2001.25.50a,b,c. © 2025 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Celebrating Women's Leadership at the Barnes! In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, we hosted our 5th Annual Women's Leadership Panel this morning, bringing together voices from across the Barnes to share their experiences, insights, and advice. Moderated by Deirdre Maher, this inspiring conversation featured panelists Maryanne Murphy, Juana Berrío, Kim Jakominich, Heather DeRonck, and Paulette Rackow—each offering unique perspectives on career growth, mentorship, and work-life balance. From pivotal career moments to lessons learned, self-care strategies, and the power of mentorship, our panelists shared thoughtful reflections on leadership and collaboration in the nonprofit/museum sectors. Their experiences serve as a reminder of the strength, talent, and dedication that drive our institution forward. A special thank you to our panelists and to everyone who joined the conversation today! Let’s continue uplifting and learning from one another—this month and beyond.

EN: Calling North Philly artists & community spaces! 🎨 Starting in summer 2025, Barnes North will introduce artist-led experiences centered on joy and wellness to North Philadelphia neighborhoods. We’re seeking social impact artists to collaborate with neighborhood spaces—like parks, rec centers, salons, and community organizations—to create interactive, participatory projects that inspire joy and connection. 🖌 Are you a North Philly artist ready to make an impact? Apply now to be part of our inaugural Everyday Places Artist Partnerships cohort. 🏦 Own or manage a community space? Everyday places shape the fabric of a neighborhood, and we want to partner with sites that bring people together. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation centers are strongly encouraged to apply. 🔗 Applications are open now through April 11! Learn more and apply today ➡ https://bit.ly/3R3yLV9 SP: Atención artistas y espacios comunitarios en el norte de Philly! 🎨 A partir del verano de 2025, Barnes North presentará experiencias dirigidas por artistas en los barrios del Norte, promoviendo la alegría y el bienestar. Buscamos artistas de impacto social para colaborar con espacios comunes—como parques, centros recreativos, peluquerías y negocios locales—y crear proyectos interactivos y participativos que inspiren conexión y creatividad. 🖌 ¿Eres un artista del norte con ganas de hacer un gran impacto? Aplique ahora para ser parte de nuestro primer grupo del programa 'Everyday Places Artist Partnerships' o Colaboraciones con Artistas en Lugares Comunes. 🏦 ¿Eres dueño o gerente de un lugar comunitario? Los lugares comunes son el alma de un barrio, y queremos colaborar con lugares que se centren en la comunidad. ¡Los parques y centros de recreo de la ciudad están especialmente invitados a aplicar! 🔗 Las solicitudes están abiertas hasta el 11 de abril. ¡Aprenda más y solicite hoy mismo! ➡ https://bit.ly/3R3yLV9

Spring is in the air! Get ready to mix and mingle with the emerging creatives and young professionals who fuel Philly’s vibrant cultural scene. Whether you’re looking to explore our collection, immerse yourself in Cecily Brown: Themes and Variations, connect with fellow art lovers, or dance the night away, #BarnesYP is the place to be. Save the date, more info to come! Young Professionals Night: Spring Fling 📆 Friday, April 11 🕖 7pm - 11pm 🔗 Learn more ➡ https://bit.ly/3XF1Z0k

Inspiration or Imitation? The question has shaped modern art from the very beginning. 🎨 To belong to a movement often meant adhering to a specific style—but the boldest artists sought something more. Figures like Picasso and Duchamp, and contemporary painters like Cecily Brown, have always navigated a delicate balance: looking to the art of the past while forging new paths forward. This course explores how modern artists engage with tradition, not by copying, but by reinterpreting, challenging, and redefining it. Through a series of case studies, discover how originality and influence coexist on the canvas. Contemporary Art and the Canon: Emulation, Pastiche, Parody 📆 Thursdays, April 3 – April 24 🕐 1pm – 3pm EST 💻 Online 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/43peqRQ 🎨 Cecily Brown, Girl on a Swing (detail), 2004. Oil on linen, 72 × 96 in. (182.9 × 243.8 cm). National Gallery of Art, Washington. Gift of the Collectors Committee. © Cecily Brown

Join us online or on-site on the opening day of "Cecily Brown: Themes and Variations" for engaging conversation about the artist with exhibition curator Simonetta Fraquelli and Nancy Ireson, Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions & Gund Family Chief Curator at the Barnes. Organized by the Barnes and the Dallas Museum of Art, Themes and Variations surveys Cecily Brown’s pioneering career and affirms her status one of the most celebrated artists working in painting today. The exhibition features more than 30 paintings and related drawings that showcase the artist’s subversion of gendered tropes in art history and popular culture. Curators in Conversation | Cecily Brown: Themes and Variations 📆 March 9 🕐 1pm - 2pm ET 👁 Online or on-site (on-site registration includes access to the exhibition) 🎟 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/411nhGr 🎨 Cecily Brown. Girl on a Swing, 2004. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Gift of the Collectors Committee. © Cecily Brown

Every painting tells a story—what will you discover? 🔍 Join artist and educator Stuart Shils, a Philadelphia native and painter for more than 40 years, for a one-day workshop where we’ll dive into the expressive world of Cecily Brown. Through lively discussion and hands-on artmaking, we’ll explore how Brown’s compositions spark emotion, memory, and meaning. Learn to see art in a new way by examining the formal qualities of Brown’s artwork, its relationship to art history, and its connections to works in the Barnes collection—no experience needed, just an open mind and curiosity. Like a Voyage at Sea: Exploring the Work of Cecily Brown 📆 Wednesday, March 26 🕙 10am – 4pm 📍 On-site 🎓 Scholarships available 🔗 Register ➡ https://bit.ly/3ECnYyq 🎨 Cecily Brown. Body (after Sickert) (detail), 2022. Private collection. © Cecily Brown