Opening of Keith Smith's Retrospective at the Philadephia Museum of Art

I went to Philadelphia for a second time this year (!) to attend Keith Smith's retrospective show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This was a great event, giving Keith some of the attention he so deserves.

This is the huge banner outside the PMA with Keith's head!

The opening, on February 15th, was spectacular. The show was installed in a very innovative way, mimicking the look and feel of Keith and Scott's home on Cayuga St in Rochester.

Here I am with Keith, and below that, my son Martin, who came down from NYC to attend the opening reception.

There were a number of luminaries there, including Keith's old friends June Leaf and Robert Frank.

Also there was book art rock-star, Hedi Kyle, who came down from her retirement home in the Catskills in Pine Hill, NY, to attend the opening.

Here are some more images from the show itself. The first is one of Keith in front of his fabulous photo-sikscreened quilt from 1965.

I love this artists' book.

There was also a copy of Keith's String Book (below) which I published in 1982.

Above the book was a looped video that showed each page being turned, Japanese Noh Theater style, but the people who were turning the pages dressed all in black with white gloves, so that they disappeared into the background.

Here is a photo of Keith with the curator of the show, Amanda Bock, with matching eye-ware clothes.

At the hotel, Keith and Scott joined me for breakfast. Sadly I missed his lecture and interview with Amanda on Saturday since I had to head back to Tucson to get ready for an eight o'clock class on Monday morning.