➤ Philly’s art world gets a good shake-up in March when the Fleisher/Ollman Gallery moves from its long-familiar location at 1616 Walnut St. to a new and larger spot (5,000 square feet) at 1216 Arch St. For real-estate peeps keeping score, that’s 1616 Walnut’s second departure of the week: F/O’s tony downstairs neighbor, clothier Joan Shepp, got shown the door last week and will relocate ASAP. “The building is being transformed into apartments and all tenants are vacating,” explains Fleisher/Ollman gallery director Alex Baker. “We selected 1216 Arch St., 5A, because the ceilings are much higher than our current location, making it airier and good for large sculpture.” Baker’s already a fan of his new neighbors, like Fabric Workshop and other Chinatown-area alterna-spaces: “We’re in a reputable art neighborhood.” F/O’s tentative debut on April 4 is “Outsiderism,” just in time to connect with Philadelphia Museum of Art outré-exhibition “Great and Mighty Things” that opens March 3.
➤ Art lovers hungry to spend money can hit up Feb. 15’s annual InLiquid art auction at the Ice Box/Crane Building. But beware: The bidding has already started at inliquid.org/auction.
➤ Your week in chef shake-ups, starting with Walter Abrams leaving Le Bec Fin, continues with critically acclaimed chef George Sabatino departing my East Passyunk neighborhood’s Stateside. Wow, that. He’s off to do his own thing, with fiancee/booze expert Jennifer Conley.
➤ Kinda-sorta Philly DJ Diplo and his daring dancehall-dubstep outfit Major Lazer suddenly moved the release date for Free the Universe from Feb. 19 to the big “TBD,” according to PR folk Biz3. No word as to why as yet.
➤ There’s an “interior extension” note on the door of the closed-since-September Rum Bar (20th and Walnut sts.). We know nobody’s busting through walls to the neighboring jewelry shop (they got a long lease). We’ve heard rumors that the space’s owner Michael Singer has a tight hold on the address’ liquor license. So, does this mean the soon-to-become-two-floor location will become Singer’s first self-run bar? Or does Jonathan Myerow of Tria have something to do with it? We hear that whoever winds up taking it is looking for “sidewalk presence” to boot.
➤ Before its new show (Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them) hits the ground running on March 8, Theatre Confetti will hold a benefit they’re calling Umami at Power Plant Studios (233 N. Bread St.) on Feb. 20. The troupe will get help from gastro-scientific chef Shola Olunloyo, just-back-from-Switzerland saxophonist Elliott Levin and his West Philly Orchestra and more.
➤ Guess what? Icepack gets illustrated every Thursday on City Paper’s A&E blog Critical Mass at citypaper.net/criticalmass.
