We've had a week in Philadelphia and a couple of marvelous summer days. Took an early bus into Center City and the museum district, then walked, photographed, and enjoyed.
Philadelphia is rich with public art, with surprises and delights abounding. From the mid-1800s to the present, statuary, monuments, tributes, and art for itself have adorned the city. I'll post some of the "traditional" sculpture soon, but I need to begin this new series of posts with a few "abstract" pieces that surprised and delighted us on our perambulations.
"Gift of the Winds" - by Joseph C. Bailey, 1978 (5th & Market) - stainless steel and manganese bronze. The polished steel reflects the leaves of the sculpture - and the buildings, trees, people, cars, sky - in a constantly changing collage of abstraction and visual delight. The lingering impressions on the mind delight ...
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| Gift of the Wind |
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| Gift of the Wind |
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| Gift of the Wind |
On a very different note is the sculpture (Nissa's favorite on our walk)
, "Starman in the Ancient Garden", Brower Hatcher, 1990 (9th & Walnut). A space traveler crash lands on a city plaza. The interior of the meteor like star trail has an assortment of civilization's relics picked up during his space travels. The sculpture is both massive and airy, serious and whimsical ...
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| Starman in the Ancient Garden |
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| Starman in the Ancient Garden |
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| Starman in the Ancient Garden |
Two additional "modern" sculptures grabbed my attention. In a plaza around the corner from "Gift of the Winds" is
"White Water", Robinson Fredenthal, 1978 (near 5th & Market).
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| White Water |
And finally,
"Triune". I have posted on this sculpture previously. Our recent walk was in the morning, with crisp clear sunlight. It is a piece that captivates me every time I see it ...
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| Triune |
