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Hank Willis Thomas: Philly Block Project

TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image
Photo by Hank Willis Thomas and Wyatt Gallery, courtesy of Philly Block Project.
Photo by Hank Willis Thomas and Wyatt Gallery, courtesy of Philly Block Project.
Will Steacy and Layla Perea photographed each other in November, 2015, for the Philly Block Project. Steacy is one of the collaborating artists for the Philly Block Project and Perea is a South Kensington resident. Photo by Jordan Baumgarten/Philly Block Project, 2015.
Will Steacy and Layla Perea photographed each other in November, 2015, for the Philly Block Project. Steacy is one of the collaborating artists for the Philly Block Project and Perea is a South Kensington resident. Photo by Jordan Baumgarten/Philly Block Project, 2015.
Hakan Ibisi carries a photograph of his grandfather in his wallet. Ibisi was photographed for the Philly Block Project, a collaboration between the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center and Hank Willis Thomas. Photo by Wyatt Gallery/Hank Willis Thomas Studio, 2015.
Hakan Ibisi carries a photograph of his grandfather in his wallet. Ibisi was photographed for the Philly Block Project, a collaboration between the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center and Hank Willis Thomas. Photo by Wyatt Gallery/Hank Willis Thomas Studio, 2015.

The Philadelphia Photo Arts Center (now known as TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image) presented Hank Willis Thomas: Philly Block Project, a 15-month, multi-phase engagement and exhibition in which conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas recreated a city block with a series of 1:1 scale photographs of North Philadelphia's people and buildings. Along with photographs installed in the galleries of the PPAC, public forums and a crowd-sourced neighborhood image archive and exhibition invited audiences to consider issues related to gentrification. Community members were encouraged to add personal photographs and portraits to Thomas' installation, thereby turning PPAC into a community gathering space.


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uestions of ractice
Hank Willis Thomas, Strawberry Mansion, 2011, installation view, Studio Museum in Harlem. Courtesy of Hank Willis Thomas and Wyatt Gallery.
Interview

Inside Philadelphia Photo Arts Center: Q&A with Sarah Stolfa

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Will Steacy and Layla Perea photographed each other in November, 2015, for the Philly Block Project. Steacy is one of the collaborating artists for the Philly Block Project and Perea is a South Kensington resident. Photo by Jordan Baumgarten/Philly Block Project, 2015.
Interview

Questions of Practice: Artist Hank Willis Thomas on Photography and Framing

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Recipient
TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image

TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image

TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image (formerly known as the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center) is an artist-focused institution centered on the importance of contemporary image-making as an ever-evolving art form. The organization offers exhibitions, events, educational programming, and residencies. TILT is a resource for both practicing artists as well as individuals interested in learning about all aspects of contemporary photography.

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News

The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage Announces 2015 Grants for Philadelphia Artists and Organizations

Jun 15, 2015

Introducing the 2015 Grantees of The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

Jun 15, 2015
Explore Connections
Larry W. Cook, Untitled.
National Media Spotlight on Philadelphia’s Cultural Scene
Nels Cline in performance at Royce Hall, Los Angeles. Photo by Phinn Sriployrung.

Guitarist Nels Cline on Musical Lineage
Video Tradition & Translation
Walking with Trane, Urban Bush Women. Photo by Gennia Cui.
Questions of Practice: Choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar on Art and Social Justice
Video Social & Community-Based Practices
Sonia Sanchez. Photo by Erika Vonie.
Celebrating Poet Sonia Sanchez, plus Pew Fellows Earn Guggenheim Fellowships, Peabody Award, and More
Pew Fellows Candice Iloh and Armando Veve. Photos by Neal Santos.

Fellow to Fellow: Candice Iloh and Armando Veve Find Inspiration in Each Other’s Mediums
Interview Cross-Disciplinary Practices
Enrique Bostelmann, Portrait of Cora Flores, 1980, part of Mirages series.

Projects in Process: Discoveries in the Archives with Berman Museum and Japan America Society
Essay Legacy & Archives
Yolanda Wisher, 2022 Philadelphia's Cultural Treasures fellow and 2015 Pew Fellow. Photo by Mark Palacio.
Four Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures Fellows on Care and Community Impact
EgoPo Classic Theater, rehearsal for Ramayana with Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Kalanari Theatre Movement, 2023, Java, Indonesia. Photo courtesy of EgoPo. 

Projects in Process: Wilma Theater and EgoPo on Creative Collaborations
Essay Co-Authorship & Collaboration