Larry Day Retrospective Explores Ironic Realism Across Three Philadelphia Venues
A retrospective exhibition of artist Larry Day's work is being presented across three Philadelphia institutions from August 2021 to January 2022. The show, guest curated by David Bindman, features nearly 150 works spanning the 1950s to 1990s, divided thematically between venues. Arcadia University displays cityscapes, Woodmere Art Museum presents figure compositions, and University of the Arts shows abstract pieces. Day, who died in 1998, was a prominent Philadelphia painter and teacher known for developing a style termed 'ironic realism' that blended American precisionism with metaphysical painting influences. The exhibition examines his artistic evolution from Abstract-Impressionist beginnings to his mature contemplative realism that addressed fragmentation in modern consciousness.
Key facts
- Larry Day retrospective runs August 30, 2021 to January 23, 2022 across three Philadelphia venues
- Exhibition features approximately 150 works from 1950s to 1990s curated by David Bindman
- Day (died 1998) was a Philadelphia-based painter and educator known for 'ironic realism'
- Show includes cityscapes at Arcadia University, figure works at Woodmere Art Museum, and abstract pieces at University of the Arts
- Day's style combined American precisionism with metaphysical painting influences
Entities
Artists
- Larry Day
- David Bindman
Institutions
- Arcadia University
- Woodmere Art Museum
- University of the Arts
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Locations
- Philadelphia