Billed as “a tasty art nugget in 12 minutes flat,” the new Arthur Ross Gallery (ARG) program “12@12” aims to whet the public’s appetite for art through quick, informal talks with curators, artists, and gallery staff.

ARG Gallery Coordinator Sara Stewart says that the title is more than just a catchy phrase.

“How could you forget ‘12 @12’?” she says. “It’s a 12-minute program that starts promptly at 12 noon.”

Launched in October, the “12@12” series is held on the first Wednesday of each month at the ARG, located inside the Fisher Fine Arts Library at 220 S. 34th St. Discussions focus on hot art topics and insider information about shows. Light refreshments are served and admission is free.

“At noon, we start talking,” Stewart says. “People can ask questions and learn about the exhibitions from staff like [ARG Director] Lynn Marsden-Atlass, Associate Director Dejáy Duckett, myself, and artists.” The program is, by design, an intimate gathering where people can talk about an art exhibition, chat informally with the curator, and learn more about the ARG’s history and its commitment to multicultural exhibitions.

The next “12@12” will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and will feature a brief chat about the ARG’s current exhibition, “Henrique Oliveira: Adenocalcinoma Poliresidual.”

Oliveira is a contemporary Brazilian artist known for creating monumental constructions that have taken over galleries and other public spaces in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Brisbane, Houston, and other cities around the world. The ARG exhibit marks the first time his work has been showcased in Philadelphia.

Curated by Duckett, Oliveira has interpreted and transformed a photograph of a cell from a medical book into a large-scale three-dimensional mixed media sculpture. 

“12@12” aims to attract more students, staff, faculty, and community members to the gallery. The ARG hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, call 215-898-2083 or email arg@pobox.upenn.edu.