PHILADELPHIA — In celebration of Pride Month, the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia has unveiled Transcendent Musings, a compelling new art exhibition exploring queer identity, visibility, and the power of self-expression.
Curated by InLiquid, a female-founded and led Philadelphia-based nonprofit arts organization, the exhibition showcases the deeply personal works of local artists Steven Alles and Ernesto Beckford. The installation is currently on view on the hotel's second floor and will run through Sunday, June 28.
Meet the Makers: Opening Reception
To officially debut the collection, the hotel is hosting a "Meet the Makers" opening reception. The event is free and open to the public, inviting guests and locals to engage with the artwork and meet the featured artists firsthand.
The reception will take place on Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square, located on the second floor at 1620 Chancellor Street. Attendees will enjoy complimentary light bites provided by the hotel's on-site Patchwork Restaurant, alongside pay-as-you-go craft cocktails from the adjacent bar. Guests are encouraged to register directly through the InLiquid website.
Two Distinct Artistic Perspectives
Transcendent Musings marks the latest installment of the hotel's ongoing "Maker Series," rooted in a commitment to celebrating local culture and community. The exhibition bridges two unique artistic methods, drawing striking parallels in their use of vivid color, layered compositions, and explorations of portraiture.
Steven Alles Drawing from his Catholic upbringing, complex familial relationships, and contemporary social landscapes, Alles merges his fine art practice with his background in public health. His featured series, Not Going Anywhere, is a bold response to current social and political challenges. Through vibrant hues and symbolic imagery, the collection serves as a powerful statement on LGBTQ+ presence, defiance, and unapologetic authenticity.
Ernesto Beckford, originally from Buenos Aires, is a self-taught college artist whose mixed-media practice revolves around archival pigment prints of his hand-cut paper collages. Combining watercolor and found imagery, he reimagines portraiture, mythology, and fashion through a distinctly queer lens. His subjects—often depicted in drag, androgynous forms, or states of transformation—challenge traditional concepts of gender and masculinity, framing Pride as an expression of freedom, survival, and the power of being fully seen.
"Alles and Beckford came of age in different cultural settings, and now make artwork through different methods and styles," noted Rachel Zimmerman, Executive Director of InLiquid. "But when you see their artwork together, you find eye-opening similarities between their experiences, inspirations, and the messages in their work."
The exhibition remains open to hotel guests and the general public daily through the end of June.
