This exhibition considers the ways in which artists employ abstraction and representation—often within the same work—and the outcomes of the interaction of these two styles. By deconstructing recognizable subjects into fields of color or using discernable forms to create allover patterns that alter a sense of space, artists create emotional resonance and open up visually rich possibilities.

Philadelphia artists have a long tradition of embracing and altering the tenets of realism and abstraction. Look Both Ways examines some of these innovative crosscurrents, revealing how abstraction has informed the realist tradition in painting, sculpture, and photography. The exhibition includes work by Ben Rose, Alex Kanevsky, Warren Rohrer, Neysa Grassi, Ron Tarver, and many others.