PHILADELPHIA, PA — What makes something a work of art? Six contemporary artists are challenging visitors to reconsider that question through an exhibition filled with unconventional imagery, experimental techniques, and playful interpretations of the ordinary.
Odds in the Absurd, presented by Philadelphia arts organization InLiquid, opens Friday, Oct. 16, at Park Towne Place along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The exhibition explores the continuing influence of Dada, an artistic movement that challenged traditional ideas about beauty, creativity and artistic value more than a century ago.
Featuring painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media, the exhibition brings together Lisa Baird, Alex Bard, Howard Brunner, williamCromar, Jake Dombroski and Kellianne McCarthy. Their work examines absurdity, chance, repetition and experimentation while inviting visitors to question familiar assumptions about art.
The exhibition will remain on view through Jan. 26, 2027, with a free public opening reception scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The timing offers Philadelphia art enthusiasts an opportunity to explore Dada’s legacy at two nearby cultural destinations. Odds in the Absurd runs alongside an unrelated Marcel Duchamp exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located farther along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Duchamp, a pioneer of conceptual and avant-garde art, helped redefine artistic expression by presenting ordinary manufactured objects as works of art. His approach challenged audiences to reconsider the relationship between an object, its creator, and the meaning assigned to it.
That spirit of questioning runs throughout InLiquid’s exhibition.
Among the featured artists, williamCromar offers a particularly direct connection to Duchamp’s legacy. Working across architecture, music, animation, and digital expression, Cromar has created a three-dimensional modeled and printed version of Duchamp’s Fountain, the controversial 1917 artwork that transformed an ordinary urinal into a provocative statement about artistic authorship and value.
By recreating the work through contemporary technology, Cromar brings questions first raised more than a century ago into the digital age.
Other artists approach the exhibition’s themes through distinctly different methods.
Lisa Baird uses painting to explore memory, identity, domestic life and the passage of time. Her compositions combine personal imagery, interiors and cultural references, creating spaces where different moments and experiences appear to coexist.
Alex Bard works across sculpture, performance, photography, video and sculptural costumes. Drawing inspiration from anthropology, mythology, comparative religion and psychology, Bard explores connections between cultural traditions, human behavior and artistic expression.
Photographer Howard Brunner turns his attention to the urban environment, responding to scenes as he encounters them rather than imposing predetermined aesthetic rules. His approach allows unexpected patterns and visual relationships to emerge from everyday surroundings.
Jake Dombroski explores the intersection of Dadaism and commercial culture through collage, assemblage and painting, examining how images and materials communicate meaning.
Kellianne McCarthy combines saturated colors, abstraction and patterns to create compositions that blur the boundaries between familiar imagery and surreal environments.
Together, the six artists demonstrate how experimentation and unconventional thinking continue to influence contemporary art.
For visitors unfamiliar with Dada, the exhibition offers an introduction to an artistic tradition that embraces surprise, contradiction, and the unexpected. For those already familiar with Duchamp and his contemporaries, it provides an opportunity to see how later generations have adapted those ideas through new materials, technologies and cultural perspectives.
Event Details
- What: Odds in the Absurd, a contemporary art exhibition presented by InLiquid featuring six artists exploring Dada, surrealism, and experimental artistic practices
- When: Oct. 16, 2026, through Jan. 26, 2027. Free public opening reception Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Where: Park Towne Place galleries, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA. The event materials list both 220 and 2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway; visitors should confirm the correct entrance and address before attending.
- Cost/Tickets: The opening reception is free and open to the public. Advance RSVP is recommended. General exhibition admission information was not provided.
- More Info: RSVP at https://inliquid.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F
The exhibition also highlights InLiquid’s role in connecting contemporary artists with audiences throughout Philadelphia. Based in South Kensington, the organization supports local artists and creates opportunities for the public to encounter their work in community settings.
With its mix of playful imagery, conceptual experimentation, and unconventional materials, Odds in the Absurd encourages visitors to approach art with curiosity rather than fixed expectations.
And in keeping with the Dada tradition, the exhibition suggests that asking whether something qualifies as art can be just as meaningful as finding an answer.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.