First look: Trippy new sculptures coming to Avenue of the Arts
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Look for this new sculpture in the fall on S Broad Street near Pine Street. Rendering courtesy of OJB & Miguel Horn
A pair of funky new sculptures is coming to the Avenue of the Arts this fall.
Why it matters: The artwork is the latest upgrade along Philly's major commercial corridor, which recently added a landscaped median on South Broad Street.
The big picture: Philly has been on a sculpture spree in recent years, with new monuments popping up and more planned as officials push to diversify its public art collection.
State of play: Local artist Miguel Horn's yellow sculptures will be placed atop the new median on S Broad, between Spruce and Pine Streets, after winning approval from the city's Art Commission earlier this month.
- One sculpture will stand outside the Kimmel Center on the north end of the median, while the other is set for the south end in front of former Hamilton Hall.
- The sculptures range from 21-25 feet long and stand roughly 6 feet tall.
- They're expected to remain there for five years.
Threat level: Art Commission members worried the sculptures could tempt pedestrians to cross busy S Broad Street and climb the median to snap pics.
- The solution: Sidewalk signage or a QR code will share info about the sculptures.
Between the lines: People walking served as the inspiration for the sculptures, Horn tells Axios.
- "There are several people within the composition, and each one's focal point is shifted so that, as you move across the composition, they move into focus at different times," Horn says.
What we're watching: Whether the sculptures will become a selfie magnet.