James Mundie, a registrar of Fleisher Art Memorial, views a piece by Elaine M. Erne. ShopRite was voted best unlikely place for art. Photographer Mark Louis
Brush strokes of genius
Miles away from the gargantuan Philadelphia Museum of Art, tucked within South Philly's stretch of rowhomes, rests the Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine St. Its mix of locality and creative expression has placed its gallery in the top spot this year.
The mission of the memorial, whose namesake created the Graphic Sketch Club in 1898 to teach art to lower-class, neighborhood boys, has not changed much over the past century.
The memorial "has been a hub of creativity for both aspiring and established artists of all ages and backgrounds," Executive Director Matthew Braun said via e-mail. "We show an extraordinary range of work in our galleries, from the young students taking art classes for the first time, to emerging contemporary artists."
Fleisher's recent showcase, the Wind Challenge Exhibitions, which ends March 17, has been named the Delaware Valley's premier juried exhibition program. Twelve artists, living within 50 miles of the city, were selected from a pool of 300 applicants to display their work.
"What I love about Fleisher is that we've been able to uphold the social-action vision of our founder while providing the highest level of art instruction and support for local working artists possible," Braun said.
Mew Gallery snagged second place and Chapter House received third.
Art in store
ShopRite, 29 Snyder Ave., is known for its food selection -- and this year's most unlikely place to find art due to its colorful mural accentuating its outside wall.
"It was just a passion of mine to put a mural on the building because I'm so enthralled with the murals throughout the city," said Jim Colligas, who, along with his wife, became the supermarket's owner in 2005.
Designed by James Burns and implemented by the city's Mural Arts Program, the work includes fruits in vibrant colors plus an array of local flavor: a Mummer, Front-and-Carpenter's Shot Tower and representations of past and present residents.
"What I really wanted ... was to depict the way South Philly was and what it is today and blend the two together," Colligas said, "and at the same time have some organic material in there."
Upwards of six people worked on the mural, whose design was voted on by ShopRite customers with the final piece completed in December. Since then, Colligas has heard nothing but praise from his peers and community members, who tell him the work has "helped beautify the neighborhood."
The mural "doesn't depict any one point in time, but depicts a transition from old to new and how South Philly has gone through gentrification," he said.
Benna's Caf� took an eye-catching second place and South Street placed third.
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