The Daily Pennsylvanian’s Samantha Sharf uses Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO to explore the sculpture in her adopted city before she graduates from Penn:

Samantha Sharf | A tourist for one hour

Elements of Style | You don’t need much time or money to learn from Philadelphia

I am having an affair with the City of Philadelphia.

Over the last four years, I have found that when homework, boys or real life cause me angst I can always count on Philly to put a smile on my face. But with graduation quickly approaching, it occurred to me that Philly will not be mine for much longer, so I decided it was time to be a tourist in my city.

Like most students, I cannot devote too much time or money to this endeavor. My solution? The Museum Without Walls, an audio tour accessible to anyone with a cellphone (a map printed from the Without Walls website is helpful, but not necessary). This Fairmont Park Art Association program includes 36 city-owned art works and features an array of times and styles. Numbered signs begin to appear near City Hall, move along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and then stretch past the Philadelphia Museum of Art along the Schuylkill River path.

In one hour and across just four blocks I was able to guide myself through seven examples of the city’s finest public art. Through these works I learned about astronomy, the Holocaust and Jesus. And all it cost me was two SEPTA tokens (approximately $4).

Here is some of what I saw during my windy hour of tourism. This, I hope, will not replace the need to explore on your own, but instead will give you a small taste of how much Philadelphia has to offer.

Although you can start and stop anywhere, the tour officially begins at JFK Plaza, more commonly called LOVE Park. In this square, I find a real tourist couple posing beneath Robert Indiana’s “LOVE.” Unlike its campus cousin, the Center City version of LOVE rests on a pedestal that is tall enough for a person to stand in. If you approach the statue at the proper angle, the PMA is visible through the silver posts.

When you call the given phone number and press one, Indiana himself comes on the line to talk about this familiar sculpture. “It would be my intention that everybody should have love,” he says, “and there are a lot of people in the world.”

Next, I visit Nathan Rapoport’s “Monument to Six Million Jewish Martyrs.” This large bronze sculpture features fist and daggers, along with a Torah and mother with her child. The objects swirl together into a form that resembles a flame. It was commissioned by the Association of Jewish New Americans and donated to the city by the Federation of Jewish Agencies of Greater Philadelphia in 1964.

As I circle Henry Moore’s “Three-Way Piece Number 1: Points,” the PMA’s curator of modern art explains that the 7 × 7 foot tall bronze blob was modeled after a 2 × 2 inch piece of stone.

Then, I gaze at Alexander Calder’s “Three Discs, One Lacking” through a few low and open trees. Sitting at the base of the tree is a purple-plastic Easter egg. It reminds me how nice it is to be a tourist once in a while because you get to slow down and notice the details. I probably wouldn’t have noticed the adorable egg if I was rushing to a class, meeting or meal.

It turns out that Calder was also playing with the details in this work. The audio guide instructs you to get down on your hands and knees, and look through a notch in the sculpture. In that position, City Hall’s William Penn is visible. That sculpture was designed by Calder’s grandfather. His father’s “Swann Memorial Fountain” sits just a few blocks away.

At the fountain — which is only filled with water in the spring — the Philadelphia wind blows water all over me. I soon realize how hard it is to take notes when you are shivering and have droplets on your sunglasses. It also occurs to me that I will not miss everything about Philadelphia.

These things aside, the Museum Without Walls is a wonderful way to pass five minutes, or an entire afternoon. But it is not the only cheap and easy way to access ideas in the city. The Institute of Contemporary Art is totally free and the Penn Museum is free for Penn students. And those are just the options around campus. Along with some fun facts, my hour of as a tourist reminded me that it is never too late to learn.

Phawker previews An Evening of Tango at Swann Memorial Fountain:

EARLY WORD: Last Tango In Philly

This coming Thursday,  a crowd of people will dance the tango around Swann Memorial Fountain at Race and 18th Streets. Authorities will not stop it.  This bacchanalia is no flash mob. Rather, it will commemorate the day when water will once again flow through Logan Square’s fountain.  Anyone will be able to join the instructors, performers, musicians and party-goers with impunity to recreate an historic, massive “municipal dance” that was held to mark the opening of the fountain back in 1924. At the time, local police were stationed to assure that dance moves would not get out of hand, blowing the whistle on undoubtedly PG-rated, sepia-toned vignettes involving enormous hats. Philadelphians may be able raise the bar on history in some ways, but it will be truly impressive if this event can command the same popular support as its Pre-Depression era cousins, when anywhere from 3,000 to 25,000 people attended. The dance contest comprising the finale of the celebration will award $250 for the grand prize, slightly more than the $10 the winners won back in the 1924.   – BRANDON LAFVING

Fairmount Park Art Association Launches “Site Seeing,” A Month-Long Celebration Of Public Art, Kicking Off April 5

With spring in full swing, now’s the perfect time to get outside and explore the city’s vast collection of outdoor sculpture and public art.

And that’s just what the Fairmount Park Art Association’s latest effort, “Site Seeing,” is all about.

Kicking off April 5, the month-long celebration features a series of four free programs, aimed at engaging residents and tourists with public art in new and unexpected ways. With programs ranging from bike tours to outdoor tango parties and a sculpture flashlight mob, you’re sure to find something that fits your style.

Check out the full event descriptions below. We’ll see you out there!

• An Evening of Tango at the Swann Memorial Fountain: Thursday, April 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free. Art and dance enthusiasts can join local dancers, musicians and celebrity guest judges for a public tango dance party in Logan Circle. The party will feature live music, dance instructors, costume contests and tango-inspired food and drink specials in the Swann Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel.

• Public Art Pathway: Saturdays, April 21 and 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., free. For two Saturdays in April, a series of giant balloons will pop up along the Ben Franklin Parkway, marking the locations of 12 outdoor sculptures, including Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE statue, Alexander Stirling Calder’s Shakespeare Memorial and Paul Manship’s Aero Memorial in Aviator Park.

• Sculpture Flashlight Mob: Wednesday, April 25, 8:30-10 p.m., free. The first of its kind in the U.S., the Sculpture Flashlight Mob will let participants see a work of art in a whole new light. “Iroquois,” created by Mark di Suvero in 1983 and installed in 2007 by the Art Association near the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s front steps, is normally illuminated every evening — yet on April 25, those lights will be turned off. In the dark, it will be up to “flashlight-mobbers” to create their own dynamic lighting effects using their flashlights, turning the monumental abstract sculpture into the focus of a unique light performance.

• Public Art Bike Tours: Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 29, 1:30-4:30 p.m., free. Marking the debut of a brand-new Public Art Bike Map, the Fairmount Park Art Association will host two days of twice-daily guided Public Art Bike Tours of Fairmount Park sculptures. Participants can choose from an easy, family-friendly 4-mile loop or a longer, more challenging 10-mile route that visits lesser-known sculptures in West Fairmount Park. Cyclists must register in advance online.

Site Seeing: Rediscover Public Art This Spring
When: April 5-29
Where: Outdoor locations throughout the city
Cost: Free
More info: www.museumwithoutwallsaudio.org

Kicking off the Fairmount Park Art Association’s Site Seeing: Rediscover Public Art This Spring! free public art event series, An Evening of Tango at the Swann Memorial Fountain invites audiences to reimagine a historic 1924 Philadelphia dance party and celebrate the fountain’s water being turned on for the season — a Philly rite of spring — in the center of one of the city’s most famous intersections.

During the summers of the early 1920s, large-scale municipal dances were hosted weekly on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway; residents would come together to dance the tango to the beat of the Police Band. On July 24, 1924, the day after Swann Memorial Fountain was unveiled to the public, thousands danced in celebration. The Art Association reimagines these gatherings with An Evening of Tango at the Swann Memorial Fountain. (Click here for a detailed history of the 1920s Parkway dances).

THE EVENT:

A free public tango dance party at Swann Memorial Fountain with live music, tango instruction, and a social dance competition with cash prizes. Tango dancing or experience is not required, but dressing festively is encouraged!

DATE: Thursday, April 5, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Logan Circle, 19th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

FEATURING:

• >>Live music by the Oscuro Quintet
• >>Dance instruction by Philadelphia dance company Urban Tango
• >>A social dance competition with a $250 cash prize
• >>Tango-inspired food & drink specials in the Swann Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel

SCHEDULE:

• >>5:30–6 p.m.: Dance instruction
• >>6–6:45 p.m.: Social dancing with live music
• >>6:45–7:30 p.m.: Dance competition, followed by awards presentation

DANCE COMPETITION:

Judges will be professional dancers and teachers from the local Argentine tango community, including Marc Hussner, Kristina McFadden, Leslie Mitchell, and Damian Lobato. Dancers will be judged on the following criteria: Navigation, Musicality, Creativity, Elegance, Technique, Embrace and overall connection within the couple. To register with a partner for the tango competition, email info@urban-tango.com.

PRIZES:

• Overall Winners ($250 cash prize)
• Best Vals ($60 gift certificate to the Garces Restaurant Group)
• Best Milonga ($60 gift certificate to the Garces Restaurant Group)
• Best Tango ($60 gift certificate to the Garces Restaurant Group)
• Most Elegant (Brunch for Two at the Four Seasons Swann Lounge)

BIKE! PUBLIC ART

Marking the debut of a brand-new Public Art Bike Map, the Fairmount Park Art Association will host two days of twice-daily guided Public Art Bike Tours of Fairmount Park sculptures. Participants can choose from an easy, family-friendly 4-mile loop or a longer, more challenging 10-mile route that visits lesser-known sculptures in West Fairmount Park. The tours are being offered in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 and SUNDAY, APRIL 29

1:30pm to 4:30pm

Tours begin at the Iroquois Sculpture at 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and end at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Cyclists must register in advance; space is limited

>> Click here to register for the 4-mile ride (Please Note: the 4-mile rides are full.)
>> Click here to register for the 10-mile ride (Please Note: the 10-mile rides are full.)

Please bring a spare tube, water bottle, and helmet. If you do not bring your helmet, you will not be able to participate. These tours are recommended for urban cyclists with experience riding on busy streets or in traffic. We will provide a light snack but feel free to bring something to munch on, especially if you will be attending the 10-mile ride.

Unable to register in time or want to go at your own pace? No problem! Download the map here.

Image of the first Parkway dance, which was held on July 7, 1921. Caption reads: "The first public dance held on the Parkway above City Hall last night was pronounced a success. Hundreds of couples waltzed and fox-trotted with propriety to music of the Police Band. The picture shows the beginning of one dance." Photo: The Evening Public Ledger, 7/8/1921

A couple wins second place at one of Parkway dance competitions. Photo: The Evening Public Ledger, 7/22/1922

During the summers of the early 1920s, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (known as the Fairmount Parkway at the time) saw thousands of Philadelphians take to the streets every Thursday night for the weekly “Parkway dances” around Logan Circle. Sometimes referred to as the open-air or municipal dances, the Parkway dances reportedly had anywhere from 3,000-25,000 attendees each week between 17th and 18th streets or 20th and 21st streets dancing the waltz, fox-trot, tango, and other “appropriate” popular dances of the time (no quivery, wiggly jazz dancing allowed). The dances featured live music from the City’s Police or Fireman’s Bands (sometimes both), and they were always unique events from one week to the next: There were special “navy” or “army” dance nights, tango-dancers-only events, guests singers, professional dancers giving demonstrations, themed dance competitions, fancy dress balls, and evenings where moving pictures on dance etiquette were shown. When cash prizes for the “smoothest” dancers were introduced in 1922 – anywhere from $4-$10 – the gatherings became known as “the weekly dance contest on the Parkway,” and those couples who had won prizes throughout the season were invited to a final dance competition at the end of the summer. The Evening Public Ledger, a Philadelphia paper no longer in print, wrote about these Parkway dances almost every week, and typically published the names of the winners as well as the number of attendees.

Far from a dance “free-for-all,” the Parkway dances were highly regulated and overseen by Miss Marguerite Walz, Philadelphia’s first policewoman and official dance censor. Under her authority (she donned a whistle, badge and club), Parkway dance attendees needed to adhere to strict dance codes and attire, and couples would be asked to reform or leave if they did not follow the guidelines. Cheek-to-cheek dancing, the toddle, hip-dip, and any other “objectionable” dancing was not allowed. It was mandatory that men wear coats and collars (ties were preferred), sweaters were out of the question, and women were not allowed to chew gum. Though Miss Walz had the authority to arrest the unruly, only five reprimands were ever needed and no arrests were made.

A leading national figure on dance, poise, and etiquette, Miss Marguerite Walz began supervising public dances on the Parkway in 1921 as an experiment to tackle what she saw as a dance epidemic. She felt that young people were embracing “vulgar” dancing due to sheer ignorance, and believed that by teaching youths the “proper” way to dance – introducing alternatives rather than simply banning – she could effectively address the issue. Given the success of her initial public dances on the Parkway, Miss Walz approached the Mayor of Philadelphia in 1921 to suggest that public dancing throughout the city be monitored by the authorities. The Mayor, delighted that her Parkway dances were helping to solve the city’s problem of improper dancing, was in complete agreement, and decided to appoint Miss Walz as Philadelphia’s first official dance censor and policewoman. After being sworn in soon after in 1921, Miss Walz was put in charge of 75 policemen who she instructed on what was permissible and unacceptable in public dancing. The Mayor was so pleased by the work of Miss Walz and her Parkway dances that he hoped to sanction similar dances throughout the city.

“Site Seeing: Rediscover Public Art this Spring” is featured in Philadelphia Weekly’s Spring Art Preview:

Fairmount Park Art Association
You’ve heard of staycations. Here’s an itinerary for you: Visit 51 public art sculptures in Philadelphia. Would it sweeten the deal if I told you that flashlight mobs, tango, bike rides and giant balloons were also involved? If so, then the Fairmount Part Art Association has your number. Throughout the month of April, Site Seeing—aimed at acquainting Philadelphians with our impressive public art patrimony—invites participants to venture out on various family friendly art excursions around the city. Stroll down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway or coast through Fairmount Park, all with a new eye to the sculptures that make Philadelphia one of the country’s top 10 presenters of public art. (Katherine Rochester)

Click here to read the entire article.

PlanPhilly’s JoAnn Greco recently talked with the Art Association’s Executive Director, Penny Balkin Bach, and Fairmount Park’s Rob Armstrong about the Art Association’s upcoming “Site Seeing” campaign.

Presented by the Fairmount Park Art Association in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, “Site Seeing: Redisover Public Art this Spring!” is a series of four free programs taking place throughout the month of April that aims to engage city residents and tourists with public art in new and unexpected ways. More info can be found here.

Click here to read the article.

Throughout the month of April, the Art Association presents Site Seeing: Rediscover Public Art this Spring!, a month-long celebration of public art that invites Philadelphians and visitors to rediscover the city’s outdoor sculpture.

This series of four free programs aims to engage city residents and tourists with public art in new and unexpected ways:

An Evening of Tango at the Swann Memorial Fountain invites audiences to re-imagine a historic tango dance party and celebrate the return of spring at Logan Circle’s Swann Memorial Fountain.

Next, public art gets a lift with a Public Art Pathway made up of giant balloons directing visitors to sculptures and Public Art Ambassadors along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

For those who want to see public art in a new light, a one-night-only Sculpture Flashlight Mob is an open invitation for participants to illuminate the abstract Iroquois sculpture with a symphony of flashlights.

Finally, two weekends of Public Art Bike Tours let cyclists, casual bike-riders and active families experience Fairmount Park’s hidden treasures on two wheels.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

An Evening of Tango at the Swann Memorial Fountain
Thursday, April 5, 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.
Logan Circle, 19th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
FREE! Preregistration is suggested
>> Click here to register
>> Click here for more information
>> Click here to learn more about the history of the Parkway dances

Public Art Pathway
Saturday, April 21 and Saturday, April 28, 11:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway from LOVE Park
FREE!

Sculpture Flashlight Mob
Wednesday, April 25, 8:30p.m.-10:00p.m.
“Iroquois” sculpture, 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
FREE!

Public Art Bike Tours
Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 29, 1:30p.m.-4:3op.m.
Tours begin at the “Iroquois” sculpture, 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
FREE! Cyclists must register in advance; space is limited
>> Click here to register for the 4-mile ride (Please note: the 4-mile rides are full.)
>> Click here to register for the 10-mile ride (Please note: the 10-mile rides are full.)
>> Click here for more information

USA Today has named the Fairmount Park Art Association as one of the 10 great places to see art enhance nature. The list was compiled by Rebecca Reynolds, an art historian and former Sharf Sculpture Fellow at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She is the author of the exhibition catalogue Manship: Paul, John, Margaret – A Retrospective, and was one of the featured voices for the Art Association’s Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO program about Manship’s Aero Memorial.

Click here to read the entire article.