Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Tour: JFK North

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This tour covers the mix of row homes, apartment buildings, churches and corporate skyscrapers bounded by JFK on the South, the Schuylkill on the West, I-676 on the North and the Parkway on the Northeast. It also includes the South side of the Franklin Institute, the East side of the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the interior of Suburban Station. We start on the Schuylkill Banks at Cherry and go

North to the Race railroad crossing
East on Race to 22nd
North to Winter
East to 21st
South to Spring
West to Van Pelt
South to Cherry
West across 22nd
South across Arch under JFK
back North to Arch
East across 21st
North to Appletree
East to 20th
North across Cherry
West to 21st
North across Race
East across 20th
South to Cherry
East to 19th
North half a block
back South to Cherry
East to 18th
South across Arch to the Comcast Technology Center
East across 18th
North back to Cherry
Southeast through the plaza to Arch
East across 17th
South across Arch
West across 17th again
South to the South side of the Comcast Building
South and East across JFK and 17th
down the stairs into Suburban Station
right and North through the station, past the left side of the schedule board to the mosaic
East and South through the station to the 16th and JFK stairs
up the stairs and East across 16th
North across JFK and look West at the Suburban Station clock

Air
Walker Hancock, 1979 (installed 2015)
* small horizontal flying person, globe, clouds
* Originally at the Civic Center. In storage from 1999-2014.
* River side of Schuylkill Banks at Cherry.
* 39.957300,-75.178650 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Walker Hancock page

Bruce S. Marks Scout Resource Center
1929
* logos, insignia, and mottoes, lion's head, shields, stars, birds, bison, tools, tent, anchor, torch, flowers
* inscription:
Youth Prepared Safeguards the Nation
Founded MCMX
This house dedicated to the training
of boys for youthful citizenship. Was
built by the Boy Scouts and their friends.
Erected MXMXXIX
On my honor I will do my best
to do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the scout law.
* Whole building.. Southeast corner, 22nd and Winter. One block South of the Parkway.
* 39.958850,-75.175300 [map] [nearby]

Benjamin Franklin and His Kite
Agnes Yarnell, 1966 (installed 1994)
* Statue of Benjamin Franklin
* small standing person, kite
* inscription: June 12th, 1752 was the day on which Benjamin Franklin extracted lightning from the sky with his kite and key.
* Coxe Park. South Side of Cherry, just East of 22nd.
* 39.956800,-75.175550 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+ushistory.org's The Electric Ben Franklin

Wall Reliefs
G. Frye, 1982
* abstract reliefs
* One relief is signed G. Frye '82, but I can't find a listing for a G. Frye or this piece.
* Walls. West side of 22nd and East side of Croskey, North of Arch.
* 39.956300,-75.176300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified

Trilladelphia
2016
* Quote from Jerome K. Jerome
* abstract sitting person, disembodied arm and hand, words
* inscription:
Let us gather together in the great cities and light bonfires of a million gas jets, and shout and sing together and feel brave! -Jerome K. Jerome
Art is the center of the real world.
* Wall. West side of 22nd under JFK.
* 39.955000,-75.176480 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+article about this piece at scienceleadership.org
+wikipedia.org's Jerome K. Jerome page

Science Leadership Academy Mosaics
2006 (school founded)
* small abstract kneeling people
* SLA has moved to Broad and Green and has been replaced by Greene Towne Montessori.
* North wall. Greene Towne Montessori School. South side of Arch, East of 22nd.
* 39.955950,-75.175875 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mosaic

Saint Francis of Assisi
* statue of Saint Francis of Assisi
* small standing person, birds
* visible through the fence
* South side of Saint Clement's Church. North side of Apple Tree, West of 20th.
* 39.956250,-75.173125 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Francis of Assisi page

St. Clement's Anchor
1906
* small anchor
* There are some very small eroded figures under the anchor that look like they might have been symbols of the Gospel writers.
* Front wall. Parish House. Saint Clement's Church. South side of Cherry, West of 20th.
* 39.956550,-75.173230 [map] [nearby]

Grumman Lunar Module
Grumman Spacecats, 1976 (installed)
* spacecraft
* visible through the fence
* inscription: (from the web, not visible from the street)
Grumman Lunar Module (LM) Restoration Team
A group of Grumman Aerospace Corporation retirees and employees volunteered their time and labor to rebuild this spacecraft. The LM restoration team dubbed themselves "The Spacecats" just for this project. Another example of their versatile restorative skills—a U.S. Navy/Grumman F4F Wildcat, a World War II fighter airplane—is already on permanent display in the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
* South side of the Franklin Institute. North side of Race, East of 21st.
* 39.957760,-75.173795 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+fi.edu page about this piece
+wikipedia.org's Grumman page

Shimmer Wall
Ned Kahn, 2013
* big abstract reflective surface
* inscription:
The Shimmer Wall continuosly changes its appearance a it responds to the environment. As breezes blow and wind gusts the wall dynamically adapts and provides a vivid and captivating portrait of nature at play powered only by the moving air.
The installation is a network of 10,824 five-inch aluminum squares individually hinged to move freely. The metal also dramatically mirrors the sky, using sunlight and moonlight to brighten the changing canvas.
* South Wall. Franklin Institute. North side of Race between 20th and 21st.
* 39.957660,-75.173060 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+nedkahn.com

Moore Sign
Creative Communications Assoc., entro, 2022
* logo sign
* There's more signage on Race, but this one stands out
* West wall. Moore College of Art and Design. Southeast corner, 20th and Race.
* 39.957380,-75.172290 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+ccanewyork.com
+entro.com

Shells
2010 (installed)
* small shells
* Either side of the East entrance. Academy of Natural Sciences. West side of 19th between Cherry and the Parkway.
* 39.956600,-75.170950 [map] [nearby]

One Logan Square Fountain
1983
* fountain
* Courtyard. Northwest corner of 18th and Cherry.
* 39.956700,-75.170150 [map] [nearby]

For Philadelphia
Jenny Holzer, 2018
* big lighted scrolling words
* Clearly visible from the sidewalk when the building is closed.
* Interacts with Exploded Paradigm
* On the lobby ceiling. Comcast Technology Center. Southwest corner, 18th and Arch.
* 39.954900,-75.169775 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+dandelion-burdock.com article about the technology used to make this piece
+jennyholzer.com

Exploded Paradigm
Conrad Shawcross, 2018
* big abstract tower, idea
* Clearly visible from the sidewalk when the building is closed.
* Interacts with For Philadelphia
* Lobby. Comcast Technology Center. Southwest corner, 18th and Arch.
* 39.954900,-75.169850 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+conradshawcross.com

Bell Atlantic Tower Fountain
1991
* fountain, architectural elements
* Plaza. Behind Three Logan Square. Southeast corner of 18th and Cherry. One block South of the Parkway.
* 39.956000,-75.16900 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified

The Robert Morris Entrance
Ballinger Company (Architects), 1922 (approximate)
* Hotel named for Robert Morris
* small heads, plants
* The Robert Morris Hotel was reportedly built on top of the 1915 Wesley Building c. 1922. The entrance to the Hotel, as shown, says "The Robt Morris". The small heads are as yet unidentified.
* Entrance. North side of Arch Street, just West of 17th.
* 39.955125,-75.168200 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+theclio.com article about the history of the building, including the addition of the hotel
+philadelphiabuildings.org's Ballinger Company page
+wikipedia.org's Robert Morris page

Landscape Junk Assemblage
Tom Deininger, 2011
* plants, clouds, butterflies
* Clearly visible through the window on Arch. If you're lucky the guard will let you inside. I do not have an actual title for this piece. "Landscape Junk Assemblages" is the artist's name for this category of work.
* Lobby. South side of Arch, East of 17th.
* 39.954850,-75.167800 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+projectvortex.org's Tom Deininger's page

Humanity in Motion
Jonathan Borofsky, 2007
* standing people
* The pictures were taken from outside the building
* Interior. Comcast Center. Northwest corner, 17th and JFK.
* 39.954550,-75.168550 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+Max Buten's picture of this piece
+borofsky.com

Comcast Center Fountain
Laurie Olin, 2008
* fountain
* Plaza. Comcast Center. Northwest corner, 17th and JFK.
* 39.954325,-75.168600 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+theolinstudio.com

Comcast Center Trellis
Laurie Olin, 2008
* abstract light refraction
* Trellis. In front of Comcast Center. Northwest corner, 17th and JFK.
* 39.954275,-75.168600 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+theolinstudio.com

Suburban Station
Isaiah Zagar, 2012
* sign, words, standing, running, walking, sitting people, faces, hats, glasses, abstract designs
* inscription:
Welcome to Suburban Station Concourse
Every day in Philadelphia
lips, nose, eyes
Love
hat
shoes
boots
my phone
lost and found
so many places
Talk Radio
Worth Millions
Walkers
Do I have my wallet????
Seeing see
stockings
gaberdine
* Inside. Suburban Station. Underground, North of the Southeast corner of 17th and JFK..
* 39.954275,-75.168075 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+phillymagicgardens.org

Opposing Forces
Ellen Tiberino, Alvin Tull, 2021
* sun and moon
* Thanks to the @SEPTAPHILLY twitter account for providing the initial information about this piece, including "Tull created a painted mural of natural landscapes, and Tiberino created mosaic parts overlaying it."
* Inside. Back of the ticket office. Suburban Station. Under JFK between 16th and 17th.
* 39.954225,-75.167400 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+phillyvoice.com article about Ellen Tiberino
+muralarts.org's Alvin Tull page

Lifelines
Barbara Grygutis, 2006
* big abstract plant forms
* lights up at night
* Underground courtyard. Southeast corner, 16th and JFK.
* 39.953500,-75.166450 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+barbaragrygutis.com

Suburban Station Clock
1930
* clock, sign
* Best observed from the East side of 16th
* 16th Street entrance. Suburban Station. West side of 16th, North of JFK.
* 39.954150,-75.166750 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mass Transit

Possible trip extension:Parkway and Pennsylvania (East on JFK to 15th)

Tour: JFK North

See Also