Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Content: Airplanes, Airships and Balloons

Budd BB1 Pioneer Aircraft
Budd Company, 1931 (installed 1935)
* actual airplane
* Originally labeled as "The Pioneer". The sign was changed to the current title some time between 2017 and 2021. Changed here 7/4/2022.
* inscription: (from the old sign)
First stainless steel airplane built in 1931 by the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company of Phila. to demonstrate the practicality of its "shotweld" process of fabricating stainless steel subsequently employed by the Budd Co. in building heavyweight railroad trains. The Pioneer was flown approximately 1,000 hours in the United Staes and Europe.
* In front of the Franklin Institute. Southwest corner, 20th and Winter and the Parkway.
* 39.958490,-75.172440 [map] [nearby]
* On the Parkway and Pennsylvania tour
* See also:
+fi.edu article about this piece
+wikipedia.org's Budd Company page
+fi.edu

Grumman Greenhouse
Jordan Griska, 2011
* big real airplane, recycled containers, real plants
* Originally intended as a temporary installation, it remained for 11 years until it was removed in August, 2022.
* inscription:
Grumman S2F Tracker, Polycarbonate, Soil, Recycled Containers, Plants
Plants courtesy of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
* Was on Lenfest Plaza. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
* 39.955400,-75.163725 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing, Peace and Love
* See also:
+jordangriska.com
+pafa.org

Love Awaits You
Terrance Woolford, 2023
* heart symbol, words, airplane, buildings
* inscription: (excerpt)
Many of the objects in this installation were found rummaging through discarded items from the airport's workspaces that include Building Maintenance, Electrical, Welding, and Sign shops.
Woolford created Love Awaits You to "enchant travelers landing at the airport and for loved ones Who wait for their arrival." He said, "the plane flying towards the big HRT encompasses that total experience."
* Interior. Terminal B Arrivals Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). 8500 Essington Ave..
* 39.877060,-75.244150 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+phl.org's page for this piece
+instagram.com/the.eazy.way
+phl.org

The Tuskegee Airmen: They Met the Challenge
Marcus Akinlana, 2009
* big goggles, parts of people, hats, tools, 2D (painted) airplanes
* Wall. West side of 39th, North of Chestnut.
* 39.955950,-75.200025 [map] [nearby]
* On the Chestnut 29th to 40th tour
* Exhibits: War, Black Lives
* See also:
+artist's page for this piece
+akinlana.com
+Marcus Akinlana's facebook.com page

Transportation
Charles Parks, 1969
* small horse, dolphin, bird, ship, water, airplane
* The whole area is fenced in, and the two separate columns are barely visible through the fence behind a sign and parked cars.
* West side of the traffic circle at the end of Norwitch Drive, North of 67th.
* 39.915675,-75.223425 [map] [nearby]
* On the Southwest Philly tour
* See also:
+ wikipedia.org's Charles Parks page

Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Perry M. Morgan, 1987
* ideas, ideals and logos, map, people standing, crouching, helmets, weapons, airplanes and helicopters, plants, buildings
* since 2016 includes Corporal Michael J. Crescenz MOH
* inscription:
The Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial is designed to honor those who served in all branches of the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. The memorial pays tribute to the 80,000 Philadelphia Vietnam Era Veterans who served our country in our nation's longest war.
By honoring these veterans the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial separates the warrior from the war, focuses on the valor and sacrifice of those patriots, and gives each of them a place in history.
It is our duty to remember the gallant Americans whose names grace this wall. They sacrificed their lives in the service of our country during the Vietnam War 1964-1975.
For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
* Plaza. Southeast Corner, Front and Spruce.
* 39.943910,-75.142825 [map] [nearby]
* On the Penn's Landing tour
* Exhibits: War, Black Lives

Untitled
Lark Lucas, 1982
* people standing, sitting, hats, umbrellas, food, musical instruments, machines and tools, balloons, airplanes, signs, buildings, plants, birds, elephant, giraffe, camel
* visible through the fence
* Walls. North side of Filbert, West of 34th.
* 39.956900,-75.192250 [map] [nearby]
* On the Avenue of Technology tour

History In Motion
Eric Okdeh, 2004
* big musical instruments, buildings, partial people, plants, groups of people, standing people, sitting people wearing hats, balloon, turtle, tiger, El cars and trolleys
* The extreme horizontal proportion and the level of detail on this piece combined with the slanted sidewalk and number of people hanging around outside make it difficult to capture accurately on camera. The pictures are in order left to right with some overlap on the wider panels. The last picture is a detail to show the level of pixelization provided by the tiles.
* Wall. District Health Center Six. North side of Girard between 3rd and 4th.
* 39.969975,-75.141900 [map] [nearby]
* On the Northern Liberties tour
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+ericokdeh.com

Spirit of Transportation
Karl Bitter, 1895
* big group of people, mostly standing, some sitting, horses, sheep, oxen, wagon and carriage, basket of fruit, model train, model boat, model airship
* inscription:
This panel, the conception and work of Karl Bitter, sculptor, was executed in 1895 and placed in the waiting room of Broad Street Station Philadelphia from which place it was removed to this site in January, 1933. The spirit of transportation is represented in triumphant procession of progress led by a little child carrying a model of an airship, a prophetic vision of a mode of transportation to come.
* North Waiting Room. 30th Street Station. Northeast corner, 30th and Market.
* 39.956140,-75.182025 [map] [nearby]
* On the Avenue of Technology tour
* Exhibits: Mass Transit
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Karl Bitter page
+wikipedia.org's 30th Street Station page