Fabric Workshop and Museum Marks Declaration of Independence's 250th with 'Some American Dreams'

The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) in Philadelphia opened 'Some American Dreams,' an exhibition curated by Hilde Nelson to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The show features 27 works by 20 artists created during residencies at FWM between 1983 and 2022. Nelson, a curatorial fellow and PhD candidate at Bryn Mawr College, selected pieces that explore questions of Americanness, nationhood, and identity. The exhibition is divided into six thematic sections with titles drawn from writers including Zora Neale Hurston and Michel-Rolph Trouillot. Key works include Donald Lipski's all-white American flag, a grouping of three t-shirts by Rev. Howard Finster, James Luna, and Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds that engage with historical narratives, and pieces by Laurie Anderson, Betye Saar, Kara Walker, and Glenn Ligon. The show runs from April 15 to June 14, 2026, at FWM's location at 1214 Arch Street, Philadelphia.