a city of public art

"The Five Orders" at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center, Commissioned by the City of Philadelphia's Percent for Art Program. Created by John A. Beirs

It is impossible to imagine Philadelphia without its public art. It’s everywhere – from the International Airport to the Ben Franklin Bridge, from high-rise rooftops to underground stations, from college campuses to shopping malls, and from neighborhood parks to downtown plazas.

The range of the City’s collection is vast. There are works that are historic, cutting edge, realistic, abstract, monumental and human scale. During the last decade, a growing diversity of materials has found its way into public places, expanding the vocabulary of public art beyond conventional categories. Sculpture in traditional steel and stone still predominates, but multi-disciplinary approaches such as video, orchestrated sound and light, and computer generated animation are now accepted means of artistic expression. Artists’ creative use of materials and methods will continue to keep pace with the explosion of new technology.

Philadelphia’s public art collection is unsurpassed in this country. Much of it was amassed during the 19th and first half of the 20th century through the efforts of the Fairmount Park Art Association, a private, non-profit organization. The Art Association continues to be a vital force as it unites artists’ visions and community goals in current projects.

A burst of public art followed the passage of two separate legislative initiatives. In 1959, Percent for Art Programs were established by both the City of Philadelphia and The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (RDA). These programs, then unprecedented in this country, have served as models for over 300 cities, becoming the principle method by which public art is funded in the United States. The City’s program provides that up to one percent of the cost for construction or renovation of municipal buildings be allocated for art. The RDA’s mandate requires that developers of land assembled by the RDA devote a minimum of one percent of construction cost to commissioning fine art. It is estimated that over 600 works funded through City, RDA and Federal Art-in-Architecture programs have appreciated over 500% in market value, making public art a major success as a financial investment while it serves as our city’s cultural legacy.

In recent years, the “look” of public art has changed. Many artists have expanded their focus from creating an object for a given space to now shaping the space itself. Art becomes truly “public” when it reflects and reveals the spirit and character of its immediate site and its audience. Some works have been more successful than others in doing so, although it is generally accepted that a wide range of positive and negative responses to a new work is inevitable.

Philadelphia offers a particular challenge to the notion of “accessibility.” It is frequently referred to as a “city of neighborhoods,” each of which has different attitudes on social, political and moral issues. Conversely, the Center City audience is more random with a mix of workers, shoppers, tourists and residents catching fleeting glimpses of artwork as they move from one destination to the next.

Obviously, in a city as diverse as ours, all public art will not appeal to all of the public, nor should it be expected to do so. An artist can only hope to engage a segment of the people in the community which is immediately affected by the work. Efforts to actively involve community businesses and residents in advance planning have been shown to promote local pride and an appreciation of the artwork.

"Synergy" at 18th and Spring Garden Streets, Commissioned by the City of Philadelphia's Percent for Art Program. Created by Albert Paley

The future for public art is promising. Increased municipal construction, airport expansion, The Avenue of the Arts, development along both riverfronts and SEPTA’s master plan for modernization all provide opportunities for major art projects. With heightened awareness of the contribution that public art makes to the livability and viability of the city, new venues, new artists and new audiences will also continue to expand. There’s no limit!

Marsha Moss is a Public Art Curator and Consultant.

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