Chuck Olson, 'The Royal Cup,' acrylic and collage on canvas. Courtesy of James Gallery.
While the following Pittsburgh art galleries haven’t posted their full 2023-24 exhibition schedules yet, they’re assets to our community and worth a visit.
This free contemporary Downtown gallery frequently celebrates local artists with exciting exhibits easily viewed through its large, front-facing windows.
This Black-led community organization advocates for local artists with an impressive artist residency program. Previous exhibits have been held both in-house and in remote locations.
This West End gallery aims to both surprise and delight visitors with exhibits intentionally curated to challenge the public’s preconceived idea of art.
Photo by Tom Little. From ‘thump, whoosh, rumble: CMU MFA Exhibition.’ Courtesy of Miller ICA at Carnegie Mellon University’s Facebook.
Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue
Eisenman’s work combines schoolboy humor with a deeply personal depiction of the queer communities to which she belongs. Her sculptural practice, rendered in lumpy white plaster, updates classical statuary with determined, everyday figures. Prince of Swords at first disappears into the line of classical figures lining the mezzanine of the museum’s Hall of Sculpture. It is only on closer inspection that the form reveals itself as the prototypical contemporary figure, slumped over and gazing at a cell phone.
Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue
Conner’s hypnotic loops of found film depict the slow-motion horror and beauty of atomic weapons being detonated over the Pacific. The installation at the Carnegie is particularly beautiful as it can be glimpsed through a window from the permanent collection galleries. Before entering the gallery dedicated to the film, one experiences its terror even while being surrounded by serenity in the larger painting galleries.
The Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street
The Andy Warhol Museum celebrates every aspect of Warhol’s wildly prolific career, showing both the fascination with fame and glamour alongside a darker side that relates to the fragility of life as informed by these monumental memento mori, or reminders of death. Warhol’s Skulls are indeed a reminder that we live in this world for only a moment. However, they are also relentlessly cool and rebellious, serving as the backdrop for a recent Calvin Klein underwear campaign and countless selfies taken by museum visitors.
Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue
This massive work on tarpaulin echoes the streets and subways where Haring first made his reputation as a graffiti artist who would pass into the larger popular culture through his relentlessly cheerful figures that were perfectly suited to hats and t-shirts. However, being at the center of the New York art world during the 1980s, Haring’s work is inevitably shot through with reminders of the AIDS crisis. As an active participant in groups such as ACT UP, Haring utilized his art to urge others to “take direct collective action to end the AIDS crisis.”
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main Street, Greensburg
Benjamin set out to demonstrate that communities of color are intertwined into the daily life of a seemingly white and conservative area. The artist not only documented these Westmoreland residents but invited them into the dark paneled formality of the museum to be photographed.
Greer Lankton, It’s All About ME, not you, 1996. Courtesy of Mattress Factory.
David Oresick, executive director of the Mattress Factory, suggests a visit to three Pittsburgh arts institutions to dive into important works on view.
Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue
As a native Pittsburgher, I’ve loved this painting since I was a teenager. It’s a piece that opened my mind to what painting and art was or could be, in part because it is an ongoing meditation on the present, travel, creation, and time. I’m always inspired by CMoA’s collection.
The Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street
I’m always drawn to Warhol’s very early works. There is something I find compelling about the work of artists who are still learning how to speak in their own voice. This drawing is warm, funny, and playful, and it just pulls me in right away.
Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way
Lankton’s incredible It’s All About ME, not you is one of my favorite works in our collection. It’s so raw, heartbreaking, and honest, but profoundly beautiful and moving to me. The apartment Greer created is so real and clearly lived in. The density of material provides me something new to discover, no matter how many times I go through it.
Steelcityscape at the City-County Building, 1976. Photo courtesy of the Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation.
Andrew Moss, founder of mossArchitects, shares with TABLE readers his recommendations for public art in Pittsburgh.
The topic of public art and architecture is near and dear to me not only as an architect but also as the recent-past president of the City of Pittsburgh Art Commission, which is charged with reviewing and overseeing the collection of art owned by the city. Public art is an important aspect of a city’s shared experience; it is also a commentary of what we as a community see as a reflection of our collective self. The following is a list of artworks that I recommend every Pittsburgher to go see and experience.
Region in Suspension, Oval Continuity, and Branched Form by Thaddeus Mosley
Eastside Bond Plaza
This is a series of three sculptures located at Eastside Bond Plaza in East Liberty by an internationally recognized local Pittsburgh artist.
Scaife Gallery, Plaza, and Carnegie Sculpture by Edward Larrabee Barnes, Architect; Dan Kiley, Landscape Architect; and Richard Serra, Sculptor
Carnegie Museum of Art
This is a three-in-one recommendation, including a building, a landscape, and a steel sculpture. The Scaife Gallery addition to the Carnegie Museum of Art is one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh, with an architectural form and experience unlike any others. The modern building is a sensitive addition to the original Beaux-Arts museum and is accompanied by the plaza, fountain, and Serra sculpture on Forbes Avenue, as well as an interior courtyard. You can often find me dining in the Carnegie Café just so that I may enjoy the spaces created by this building, landscape, and sculpture.
Untitled Mosaic by Virgil Cantini
Steel Plaza T Station, Downtown
A 28-panel glass-tile mosaic that was recently saved from demolition as part of the I-579 overpass project. The mural is planned to be reinstalled in the Steel Plaza T Station by the end of 2023.
Arts in the Parks: Grit, Glow, Flow by OOA Designs (Oreen Cohen & Alison Zapata)
The City of Pittsburgh Planning Department recently undertook a program to expand public art projects throughout the city parks with eight new public art commissions. One of these is located on Mt. Washington at the corner of Grandview Avenue and PJ McArdle Roadway. The steel sculpture is fabricated out of scrap metal and donations from community members accompanied by a story of Pittsburgh women and their roles with our industrial past.
View of Carnegie Museum of Art from Forbes Avenue, 1974, Carnegie Museum of Art Archives
Pittsburgh by Alexander Calder
Pittsburgh International Airport
The amazing suspended mobile sculpture by world-renowned sculptor Alexander Calder has graced the Pittsburgh Airport since 1960. While prominently displayed for decades many of the hundreds of thousands of travelers pass underneath it daily without acknowledging its presence and grandeur of delicate sculptural balance. Next time you pass through our airport take a moment and look up.
The Pennsylvanian Rotunda by Daniel Burnham
Walking up to this Downtown former train-station-turned residence building, you encounter one of the most beautiful spaces in our city as you walk under the arches of the entry rotunda.
Original Alcoa Building by Harrison & Abramovitz
The Downtown building is wonderful, but the entry glass and aluminum pavilion along Sixth Avenue is particularly special, providing a front door onto Mellon Square.
Steelcityscape by Aaronel deRoy Gruber
Mellon Park
This is a dynamic steel sculpture by a Pittsburgh artist better known for her colorful pressure-formed Plexiglas sculptures and black-and-white photography. The sculpture is located in Mellon Park near Penn Avenue, where thousands of vehicles pass by every day. However, I suspect that most people overlook this wonderful piece of public art. Take some time to stroll through Mellon Park, where you can approach and experience this sculpture as well as several other wonderful artworks.
117 Sandusky Street
Located on the exterior of The Andy Warhol Museum, facing Rose Way, Miami-based artist Typoe calls the site specific mural “an opportunity to engage the public with a selection of playful forms,” allowing “room for individuals to discover and interpret the composition.” Even without visiting the museum, Over the Rainbow is an opportunity to exercise the imagination.
Strawberry Way
It’s hard not to smile strolling down the bright and eye-catching Strawberry Way. The rotating street mural, currently in its third manifestation, now features the work of local artists Shane Pilster and Max Gonzales alongside PDP and Pittsburgh CAPA students. With a glance down the vivid pedestrian walkway, it’s easy to see why the students who completed the project dubbed it “Rainbow Road.”
400 Sampsonia Way
The City of Asylum serves as a sanctuary for endangered writers, bringing together a community of readers, authors, poets, and more from around the world. Take a little walk on the street, which houses those in the nonprofit’s residency program, and you’ll discover that the creativity extends beyond the art of language. Homes donning colorful murals, hand-drawn illustrations, and 3D art mark the dwellings of the exiled writers.
Recommendations by Anneliese Martinez / Story by Jordan Snowden
Kale is everywhere these days since it’s valued for its dense nutritional values and its flavor. You can vary this recipe for Strawberry Kale Salad with the seasons by swapping in roasted squash, mandarin oranges and roasted beets, walnuts and figs, summer peaches, and corn. In the version below, the sweet strawberries are enhanced by the homemade, vinegary dressing. Massaging the kale with the dressing, and the warmth of the chickpeas, make the kale tender and delicious!
Can I Substitute Chickpeas For a Different Protein in This Strawberry Kale Salad?
Absolutely! For our vegetarian and vegan friends we suggest using chickpeas for their dense nutrient content as well as their ability to soak up flavors. Though we do understand that chickpeas are not for everyone. So, instead, you can replace with a protein of your choice such as chicken, steak, or even turkey. In case you are vegan or vegetarian though, other meatless proteins you can use include tofu, edamame, or even lentils. Maybe you’ll even choose to leave this element out altogether and instead let the strawberries, kale, avocado, almonds, and homemade dressing relieve your cravings.
The sweetness of strawberry balances out the slight bitterness of kale.
Ingredients
Scale
For the salad:
2 bunches lancinato kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 small green onions, sliced
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 avocado, sliced
3 tbsp sliced roasted almonds
For the dressing:
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
For the chickpeas:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Place the kale in a large bowl, drizzle it with the lemon juice, and massage it gently with your hands to soften it.
Prepare the dressing whisking together the olive oil, salt, pepper, and the lemon zest. Pour it over the kale, add the green onion, mix well, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas: heat the olive oil in a pan, add the drained chickpeas and fry them for about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar and the remaining spices, stirring well to combine. Pour the mixture over the chickpeas and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
Add the strawberries to the kale, and gently mix them in. Arrange the salad on the serving plate, and top it with the warm chickpeas, the sliced avocado and the roasted almonds.
Check out some more California Fusion Recipes here!
Summer flavors come alive in our Strawberry Fields cocktail, a savory-sweet, strawberry-studded concoction. A balsamic reduction may not sound like it belongs in a cocktail at first but we promise after one sip of this recipe your opinion will change. The sweet, tangy acidity of a strawberry balsamic reduction matches the richness of Bulleit Rye Whiskey and floral notes of St. Elder liqueur. You may never go back to sipping on sickeningly sweet cocktails again.
When is Strawberry Season?
We recommend using fresh strawberries from a local farm to make your Strawberry Fields Cocktail as delicious as it can be. In order to get the ripest container possible, shop during strawberry season. Strawberry season typically hits its peak in late May into June. While you might find strawberries in grocery stores earlier in the spring or later in the summer due to transportation from warmer regions, locally grown berries achieve their optimal sweetness and flavor during this late spring to early summer window. You can even head out for the opportunity to pick-your-own strawberries during this time at select farms in your area.
During strawberry season, we can expect an avalanche of ripe, juicy, red berries. Surely four or five can find their way into the cocktail shaker to create our Strawberry Farm Cocktail!
When is Strawberry Season?
Strawberry season takes place in the first half of the year, typically from February to July. It peaks in May and June. Check the peak date for your region of the country, as it varies. In the Northeast, the peak is June. This Strawberry Farm Cocktail originally came to fruition during the peak of the pandemic, sipped on long afternoons in a beautiful garden. Enjoy it now to reminisce about times past or toast to the beauty of the summer!
This cocktail tastes just like biting into a fresh strawberry.
Ingredients
Scale
4 oz vodka
Equal parts fresh lime and lemon juice
2 oz simple syrup
5 strawberries
3 sprigs of basil
Instructions
Juice approximately 3 limes and 2 lemons. Use a sharp knife to remove strips of zest with as little white pith as possible. Adjust measurements for how many cocktails you would like to make.
Make the simple syrup by bringing one cup water and one cup sugar to a boil. Toss in 3 strips of lemon zest and 3 strips of lime zest. Stir for a minute and remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature.
In a cocktail shaker, muddle three strawberries and 1 sprig of basil. Add vodka, fresh juice, and simple syrup. Shake.
Pour over ice in a low glass, and garnish with basil, berries, and citrus.
Strawberry desserts make for a beautiful presentation such as this Strawberry Honey Galette. The ripened, bright red berries are not only a vision of summer, but they are also sweet and delicious and smell quite delightful. Impress your guests with this lovely dessert from TABLE contributor Anna Franklin. But watch carefully after that first cut. This dessert seems to hold a magical quality, and it will disappear before your very eyes.
What is a Galette?
The rustic, free-form of a galette pastry give it its recognizable look. Rather than the perfect shape of a pie, a galette thrives on imperfection. You’ll find it in round shapes, square and rectangle shapes, and even at times in a heart shape. It’s rolled out and then slathered in your favorite toppings like strawberries and honey in this recipe. After, you gently roll the edges and let it bake. It’s simple, approachable, and is able to hold just about any filling your mind can imagine, even if it’s a savory one.
A slice of summer includes layers of fresh strawberries and drizzles of local honey on a crispy crust.
Ingredients
Scale
2 cups milk
¼ cup local honey
2 egg yolks
1 egg
⅓ cup white sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb sliced strawberries, tossed with 2 tbsp local honey
1 store-bought pie crust
Instructions
Stir together milk and 1/4 cup honey in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Whisk together egg yolks and egg in a medium bowl.
Stir together 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch in a separate bowl; stir into eggs until smooth.
Pour boiled milk into egg mixture in a thin stream while mixing so eggs do not cook. Return egg mixture to the saucepan; slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent curdling and scorching. When mixture thickens, remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla until thoroughly blended.
Pour into a container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, place pie crust in a pie pan or baking sheet, and blind bake until the crust is golden brown, remove from oven and cool.
Place chilled pastry cream in pre-cooked pie crust and spread evenly. Top with sliced strawberries and drizzle with additional honey.
Serve cold.
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin Story by Star Laliberte Photography by Dave Bryce
The Italian Plum Torte gets a summery twist with this Strawberry Cake recipe. Savor the sun-ripened flavor of strawberries and build your own version.
Our Strawberry Cake’s Italian Plum Torte Inspiration
This recipe adds to the dozens of versions we’ve read (and of the many we’ve made and enjoyed) of Marian Burros’s legendary 1979 Italian Plum Torte. Her dry batter absorbs fruit liquids in a gorgeous way, even as it rises and reaches up to blanket the fruit placed on top before baking. As strawberry season approaches, this version will help you celebrate the return of summer and delicious, sun-ripened fruits and veggies. After you’ve tried it once or twice, perhaps it will inspire you to build your own flavor profiles into the recipe and make one more delicious version in Ms. Burros’s honor.
3 or 4 large strawberries sliced to place on top prior to baking
2 tbsp sugar mixed with a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of ginger for sprinkling
4 tbsp amaretto
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a 9-inch angel food pan or Bundt pan.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and almond extract and beat together for about a minute.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
Fold in the chopped strawberries.
Spoon batter evenly into the cake pan. Arrange the strawberry slices on top. Sprinkle with sugar and spices.
Bake 45 minutes and test with wooden skewer. When it comes out clean, the cake is baked.
Use a small rubber spatula to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Let cool for 10 minutes and brush with Amaretto liqueur. When completely cool, flip the pan onto a serving plate. Brush again with amaretto.
As a finishing touch, serve with fresh fruit on the side, whipped cream, ice cream, or even a dry sherry.
Recipe, Story, and Styling by Keith Recker Photography by Dave Bryce
