Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Tour: Northern Liberties

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This tour is not typically touristy. It involves a long walk through a mixture of industrial, post-industrial, residential and business neighborhoods including blocks that are desolate and destitute. It starts on the Northwest corner of 3rd and Callowhill and runs

North on 3rd to Spring Garden
East on Spring Garden to 2nd
North on 2nd to Poplar
West on Poplar to 3rd
North a half block on 3rd
South on 3rd to Fairmount
West on Fairmount to 5th
South on 5th past and then back to Spring Garden
West on Spring Garden half a block past 10th with half block detours South on 6th and North on 7th
East on Spring Garden to 10th
North on 10th to Fairmount
East on Fairmount to Franklin
North on Franklin to Polar
East on Poplar to Marshall (past 7th)
South on Marshall one block
North on Marshall to Girard
and East on Girard to 2nd

From there you can walk a couple of more blocks East to the Girard Avenue Blue Line station for a ride back to Center City.

Zen Doors
Ike Hay, 1979
* abstract form
* Wall. Northwest corner, 3rd and Callowhill.
* 39.957565,-75.144300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+covnews.com Ike Hay obituary

Untitled
Fred Fisher, 1980 (installed)
* geometric assemblage
* 444 North 3rd Street. West side of 3rd, North of Callowhill.
* 39.958260,-75.144100 [map] [nearby]

Tetrahedron Kite
David Caccia, 1976
* abstract kite
* On a wall. East side of 3rd South of Spring Garden, facing South.
* 39.959560,-75.143520 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+marinellafuneralhome.com's David Caccia obituary

Phoenix Rising in Flames
Natalie Charkow Hollander, 1976
* phoenix, flames
* In front of the Fire Administration Building. South side of Spring Garden, East of 3rd.
* 39.960560,-75.143025 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Police and Fire Fighters
* See also:
+gf.org's Natalie Charkow Hollander page

Collab 1
Bernard Brenner, James Fuhrman, 1975
* abstract form
* White in the first two pictures, taken September, 2012. Black in the third picture, taken circa 1998.
* South Side of Spring Garden between 2nd and 3rd.
* 39.960550,-75.142350 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+Bernard Brenner exhibit at chrisray.com
+jfuhrman.com

Over the Top
John Paulding, 1920
* standing person, helmet, rifle
* Misattributed many places as "Doughboy, Ernest Moore Viquesney, 1919." Thanks to Kenneth Berchem-Nigg for the correction.
* inscription: In memory of our boys of the sixth, eleventh, and twelfth wards who served in the Great War of the nations, 1914-1918
* Northeast corner, 2nd and Spring Garden.
* 39.960835,-75.141250 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Favorites, War
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's John Paulding page

Spring Garden Connector
Cloud Geshen, The Lighting Practice, 2016
* backlit leaves
* Underneath the I95 bridge. Spring Garden L Station. Spring Garden, East of 2nd.
* 39.960515,-75.140375 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mass Transit
* See also:
+lightingpractice.com entry for this piece
+cloudgehshan.com
+thelightingpractice.com

Cinema Verde
Dennis Haugh, 2006
* big bird houses, head, bees
* Originally listed as "Cohocksink: Stand in the place where you live", but as of 12/12/2024 this title is consistent with the artist's website and publicartarchive.org. Mural included because of the constructed birdhouses, and the cutout face and bees. Two detail pictures of purely mural elements are also shown.
* Wall. South side of Liberty Lands Park. East side of 3rd, North of Poplar.
* 39.965260,-75.142100 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+publicartarchive.org's page for this piece
+dennishaugh.com
+publicartarchive.org's Dennis Haugh page

Zimmerman House
1911
* cattle heads, ball with Z
* Under the eaves and on the roof. North side of Fairmount between 4th and 5th.
* 39.962975,-75.145450 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Gargoyles
* See also:
+The Gargoyle Hunter's page for the building

Octopus Gate
Jason Roberts, 2008
* octopus
* Gate. Silk City Diner. North side of Spring Garden, East of 5th.
* 39.961275,-75.145940 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+jrmworks.com

The Value of Family
Eric Okdeh, 2006
* big plants
* Mural of people with tile and sculptural glass plants
* Wall. South side of Spring Garden, East of 5th.
* 39.961025,-75.146500 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+ericokdeh.com

Pony Express Rider
Arlene Love, 1981
* horse, seated person wearing a hat
* Up on the wall. East side of 5th, South of Spring Garden.
* 39.959600,-75.146800 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Labor
* See also:
+Arlene Love interview on vimeo.com

Cubus Assemblage
Theodore Miller, 1979
* big cubic forms
* Also listed as CUBIS
* On the wall. South side of Spring Garden, West of 5th.
* 39.961060,-75.147400 [map] [nearby]

Untitled
Robert E. Montgomery, 1972
* abstract forms
* On the wall. West side of 6th, South of Spring Garden.
* 39.959850,-75.148600 [map] [nearby]

German Society Gate
* logo, eagle
* I cannot find any other use of the word "Prolesflorebit"
* inscription:
The German Society of Pennsylvania
Founded AD 1764
Religione Industria et Fortitudine Germana Prolesflorebit
* Gate. Northeast corner, 7th and Spring Garden.
* 39.961600,-75.149700 [map] [nearby]

Raven
David Caccia, 1979
* From a work by Edgar Allan Poe
* raven
* The sculpture is behind a fence. You'll get a closer look when the site is open, but it is clearly visible from the sidewalk.
* Edgar Allan Poe House. Northwest corner, 7th and Spring Garden.
* 39.961975,-75.149900 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+nps.gov's page for this piece
+marinellafuneralhome.com's David Caccia obituary
+wikipedia.org's Edgar Allan Poe page

Blockhead
Robinson Fredenthal, 1990 (installed)
* geometric forms
* Southwest corner, 8th and Spring Garden.
* 39.961310,-75.151960 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+robinfredenthal.com

Unidentified
* abstract form
* Behind a fence, but the gate seems to be usually left open
* Southeast of the Southeast corner, 9th and Spring Garden.
* 39.961125,-75.152675 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Unidentified

Spring Garden Farmers Market Sign
Frank Rushmore Watson (Architect), 1889
* sign, cattle head, cornucopia, food
* Pediment. Union Transfer. South side of Spring Garden between 10th and 11th.
* 39.961520,-75.155360 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+Max Buten's picture of this piece
+philadelphiabuildings.org Frank Rushmore Watson page

Three Figures
Joseph C. Bailey, 1984
* small standing people, nurse's hat
* Courtyard. Tucker House. Northwest corner, 10th and Wallace.
* 39.964250,-75.154150 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Black Lives
* See also:
+askart.com's Joseph C. Bailey page

Andrey Sheptytsky
* Statue of Andrey Sheptytsky
* standing person, crown, staff, crosses
* Behind a fence, but visible from the sidewalk.
* inscription: 1865-1944
* On the grounds just South of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. West side of Franklin between Brown and Poplar (Franklin is one block East of 8th).
* 39.965875,-75.150300 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Andrey Sheptytsky page

Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
1966 (date of building, mosaics are later)
* Mosaics of Jesus and Pope John Paul II
* partial people, keys and other symbols
* inscription:
His Holiness
Pope John Paul II
Visited this Cathedral
4 October 1979
* Entrance. Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. West side of Franklin between Brown and Poplar (Franklin is one block East of 8th).
* 39.966325,-75.150050 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Religious, Mosaic
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Jesus page
+wikipedia.org's Pope John Paul II page

Pay Attention
Bob Rivera, 2003
* big scientific equipment, symbols
* Behind a fence but visible from both Poplar and Franklin. A companion piece, Discovery not yet pictured here, is high on the North wall of the building along 8th Street.
* Southwest corner Franklin and Poplar (Franklin is one block East of 8th).
* 39.967515,-75.150000 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+Bob Rivera Studios page on facebook.com
+lehman.edu's Bob Rivera page

Fountain
Christopher T. Ray, 1983
* abstract form
* Non-functioning. Visible through the fence.
* Plaza. South side of Ascension Manor. North side of Poplar between 7th and Franklin.
* 39.967850,-75.149200 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+chrisray.com

The Family
Charles Parks, 1970
* small people standing, sitting and kneeling
* Marshall Walkway (1 block South of Poplar between 6th and 7th).
* 39.966250,-75.148100 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Black Lives
* See also:
+ wikipedia.org's Charles Parks page

Dewey's World
Paul Santoleri, Jennie Shanker, 2006
* big abstract idea, books, hands, machines and tools, plants
* Created with the Mural Arts Program and students from the James R. Ludlow School.
* Walls. Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library. Southwest corner 6th and Girard.
* 39.970200,-75.146675 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Mosaic
* See also:
+paulsantoleri.com
+muralarts.org pdf about Jennie Shanker's experience at Norris Homes

Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library Branch Fascia
Joseph J. Greenberg, Jr., 1968 (date of building)
* abstract relief
* Fascia. Ramonita G. de Rodriguez Library. Southwest corner 6th and Girard.
* 39.970200,-75.146650 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+nytimes.com Joseph J. Greenberg obituary

National Shrine of Saint John Neumann Entrance Plaques
1979 (best guess based on 1979 commemoration)
* bas-relief busts of Pope John Paul II and John Nepomucene Neumann
* small heads
* inscription:
left:
St. John N. Neumann
C. SS. R.
Fourth Bisop of Philadelphia
1852-1860
right:
Remberance of
the visit of
Pope John Paul II
to the National Shrine
of St. John Neumann
October 4, 1979
* Either side of the entrance. National Shrine of Saint John Neumann. Southest corner 5th and Girard.
* 39.97000,-75.144850 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Pope John Paul II page
+wikipedia.org's John Nepomucene Neumann page

John Nepomucene Neumann (Shrine)
* Statue of John Nepomucene Neumann
* small standing people, symbols
* inscription:
Front of the statue:
Blessed John Neumann C. SS. R.
Fourth Bishop of Philadephia
Side of the statue:
In memory of Joanne Swiggard [or Swiccard]
Plaque on the base:
"Give Me Holiness"
John N. Neumann
Born March 28, 1811
Ordained Priest June 25, 1836
Became a Redemptorist January 16, 1842
Consecrated Bishop, March 25, 1852
Died January 5, 1860
Declared Heroic in Virtue December 11, 1921
Declared Blessed October 13, 1963
Canonized June 19, 1977
* Outside the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann. South side of Girard, East of 5th.
* 39.97000,-75.144700 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's John Nepomucene Neumann page

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]
* Exhibits: Mosaic, Mass Transit
* See also:
+ericokdeh.com

Don Quijote de la Mancha
Joaquin Garcia Donaire, 1966 (installed)
* Statue of Don Quixote
* seated person, horse, spear and shield
* The inscription is in Spanish on one side of the base and mostly in English on the other. This is the English inscription.
* inscription:
This is an exact replica of the original sculpture by the artist Joaquin Garcia Donaire located in Ciudad Real - Spain.
The statue has been presented by the Excma Diputacion de Ciudad Real to the City of Philadelphia as a token of friendship and understanding between our two cultures.
* Middle of 2nd, North of Girard.
* 39.969790,-75.139610 [map] [nearby]
* See also:
+Max Buten's picture of this piece
+garciadonaire.es
+wikipedia.org's Don Quixote page

Possible trip extension:Avenue of Technology (Market Frankford Line to 40th)
Possible trip extension:City Hall (Market Frankford Line to 15th and walk East on the South side of South Penn Square to Broad)
Possible trip extension:Franklin Town (Market Frankford Line to 15th and walk 2 blocks North)
Possible trip extension:Parkway and Pennsylvania (Market Frankford Line to 15th and walk Northwest through Love Park)

Tour: Northern Liberties

See Also