James Siena | University of the Arts

The Philadelphia Art Alliance at University of the Arts is pleased to present an exciting group exhibition comprising works by 30 New York School artists entitled The Searchers. Centered around the associates of Thomas Nozkowski, The Searchers is named after the film classic by John Ford, which was Nozkowski’s favorite. But more than just an homage to their friend, The Searchers is an exhibition that stands on its own, full of important artworks and ideas. The project celebrates every included artist, each of whom searches for their own way into the visual world. Thus, The Searchers is an investigation of cross references and styles much like exhibitions of Tenth Street Painters, artists of Coenties Slip, the Rutgers Group, Cal Arts, or Jefferson Street. As such, it is a kind of snapshot of a cultural period and group interactions.

The artists included in The Searchers are Richard Artschwager, John Duff, Julia Fish, Suzan Frecon, David Goerk, James Hyde, Merlin James, Suzanne Joelson, Jonathan Lasker, Judy Linn, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Robert Mangold, Chris Martin, Kazuko Miyamoto, Catherine Murphy, Diane Neumaier, Thomas Nozkowski, Martin Puryear, Joyce Robins, Harry Roseman, Sherman Sam, Katia Santibiez, Peter Saul, Sally Saul, Arlene Shechet, James Siena, Gary Stephan, Rob Storr, Kunie Sugiura, and Ruth Vollmer. 

Although many of the artists are abstract painters as was Nozkowski, the connections are deeper than style or mediums. Included in this major exhibition are photographers, sculptors, funky artists on the edge of Pop like Peter Saul, dedicated representational artists like Sylvia Mangold, Harry Roseman, or Catherine Murphy, and systemic practitioners such as Kazuko Miyamoto and Ruth Vollmer.