Rocky is arguably the most famous man that Philadelphia has ever produced. But he also never existed. So what is he, then? A symbol? Is he simply a movie character that legions of people have latched onto for reasons unknown? Is he a mythical creature whose legend has taken on a mind of its…
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If there’s one thing that people the world over know about Americans, it is that we are a striving, hardworking, and ambitious bunch. So why shouldn’t an exhibition aiming to trace the entire timeline of American art hold those same traits — and in the cradle of American democracy, no less? “A Nation of…
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A young girl lays her head on a table and drifts off to sleep while a radio plays in the background. During her long rest, she dreamt of being a lively performer. But what young person doesn’t have dreams, you might ask? What young person hasn’t dreamed of being a performer at least once?…
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Marcel Duchamp: the artist who signed a urinal and called it a work of art. Marcel Duchamp: the artist who, while dressed in a suit, played a game of chess with a nude Eve Babitz, the now-famous writer who was a college student at the time that the photograph was shot by photographer Julian…
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The Studio Museum in Harlem cuts an imposing figure on bustling W. 125th St, and its design stands out distinctly from that of its surroundings. But yet, it manages to fit in. And that contextual friction is what makes it interesting. The Adjaye Associates-designed Studio Museum — completed in partnership with New York-based architecture…
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Everything is new at the New Museum, it seems. The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)-designed building expansion. The exhibits. The humans. But we’re still working to find answers to questions as old as the Industrial era, especially this one: what does it mean to be human while coming to terms with an array of…
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Americans like to believe that they exist in a world of individualism — that the United States is a paragon of distinctiveness. The Whitney Biennial 2026 argues that this could not be further from the truth. Featuring the work of 56 artists, duos, and collectives — most of whom have never been included in…
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The Philadelphia Art Museum is excited about the shows that it is hosting this year. It also really wants to leave its messy divorce from Sasha Suda, its former leader, in the rearview mirror and focus on the stellar art for which it is known. This much was evident in a recent interview that Daniel H.…
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Almost four months after the opening of Philadelphia’s Calder Gardens to the general public, you can still observe the excitement and curiosity from patrons about the much-hyped artistic space (the institution prefers to not be called a museum). It lives up to the high praise that it has received. Philadelphians have been anticipating the…
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Jump To: Fashion + Technology Critiques of Fashion Cultural Questions Reviews Philadelphia Art, Culture, & Design Sustainability Fashion History + Theory We’re coming up on our fifth birthday here at Manic Metallic (on 1/1/2026), and to say that I am in awe is an understatement for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that the odds are generally pretty low…
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Rocky is arguably the most famous man that Philadelphia has ever produced. But he also never existed. So what is he, then?…
more >
If there’s one thing that people the world over know about Americans, it is that we are a striving, hardworking, and ambitious…
more >
A young girl lays her head on a table and drifts off to sleep while a radio plays in the background. During…
more >
Marcel Duchamp: the artist who signed a urinal and called it a work of art. Marcel Duchamp: the artist who, while dressed…
more >
Everything is new at the New Museum, it seems. The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)-designed building expansion. The exhibits. The humans. But…
more >
In Episode 035 of The Manic Metallic Podcast, we discussed something that needed to be said about sustainability in fashion: we already…
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Just one scroll through social media these days and you’ll see fashion styles like ‘Barbiecore’ or ‘kidcore’ or that one that we…
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Manic Metallic was invited to attend the launch party on November 10, 2021 for FABSCRAP’s new Philadelphia location at the Bok Building…
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So far in our Sustainability Wing writings, we’ve put the spotlight on many organizations and certifications looking to make fashion a more…
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Allow us to clarify. There is no fashion sustainability certifications system, and that needs to change. After spending numerous hours completing research…
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Rocky is arguably the most famous man that Philadelphia has ever produced. But he also never existed. So what is he, then?…
more >
If there’s one thing that people the world over know about Americans, it is that we are a striving, hardworking, and ambitious…
more >
A young girl lays her head on a table and drifts off to sleep while a radio plays in the background. During…
more >
Marcel Duchamp: the artist who signed a urinal and called it a work of art. Marcel Duchamp: the artist who, while dressed…
more >
The Studio Museum in Harlem cuts an imposing figure on bustling W. 125th St, and its design stands out distinctly from that…
more >