The Germantown Historical Society (5501 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA) is thrilled to announce the launch of American Mythologies, a new exhibition showcasing the work of acclaimed Philadelphia-based artists Tom Judd and Mark Stockton. From now through November 22, visitors can experience the artists’ parallel explorations of American myths throughout the decades, brought to life through large-scale paintings, drawings, mixed media, sound, and immersive installations. As the nation approaches its semiquincenetennial, the exhibition offers a visual chronicle of the stories that have molded the rich and complex fabric of American identity.
In American Mythologies, Judd and Stockton invite viewers to engage in an ongoing, critically essential conversation of becoming America. Using the practices of portraiture and collage, the artists have created a site-specific installation that pairs contemporary artwork alongside historical artifacts. Inspired by the history of the Germantown Historical Society, pieces of American Mythologies are meticulously placed in conversation with nearby historic icons, including the neighboring home of George Washington, Gilbert Stuart’s Anteneum Portrait, and the Society’s own wallpaper and artifacts.
The exhibition begins in the front parlor, where visitors encounter the many faces of George Washington, exploring how his image became a powerful symbol of liberty, freedom, and American identity. The next gallery highlights Judd’s striking mixed media works, which reflect on stories of frontier expansion and Manifest Destiny. The final gallery takes a darker look at shared history, featuring Stockton’s haunting large-scale drawing of Richard Nixon and examining moments of conflict and controversy in American presidential history from exploitation and impeachment to assassination and rebellion.
“We are thrilled to present, for the first time, a collaboratively designed and curated exhibit of and by Tom Judd and Mark Stockton,” said Tuomi Forrest, executive director of Historic Germantown. “The artists’ works both reference local history and connect to larger national narratives or ‘myths,’ especially around the American presidency, that are created in part through art and image-making. This exhibit continues the recent use of the Germantown Historical Society’s galleries to present contemporary art that engages topics of local history and/or the built and natural environment.”
American Mythologies is on view at the Germantown Historical Society through November 22. A public reception will take place on Saturday, November 1, from 4 to 7 p.m. The exhibition is open to visitors on Thursdays from 12 to 4 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission is $3 and can be purchased on-site.
