OACCE honors Parkway’s centennial with City Hall: The Design and Architecture of the People’s Building
PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy is celebrating the Parkway’s centennial with the exhibition City Hall: The Design and Architecture of the People’s Building in partnership with The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. The exhibition is on view until January 26, 2018 in Philadelphia City Hall, Room 116.
“City Hall is one of the most iconic and architecturally significant buildings in the city,” said Chief Cultural Officer Kelly Lee. “This is an unique opportunity for Philadelphians to learn about its history and celebrate the Parkway’s centennial.”
City Hall: The Design and Architecture of the People’s Building introduces a brief history and design of Philadelphia’s unique City Hall, the city’s largest work of art, and the iconic anchor to the diagonal thoroughfare from Center City to Fairmount Park – the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It begins with William Penn’s vision for Philadelphia and Center Square, presents John McArthur, Jr’s Second Empire designs, and includes some re-designs by Paul Phillipe Cret during the late 1920s. Other elements include photographic reproductions, postcards, illustrations, and artifacts from multiple collections. Guest co-curators include Greta Greenberger, Retired Director of City Hall Tours, Independence Visitors Center and Bruce Laverty, Curator of Architecture, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
Other exhibition partners and contributors include: Parkway Museum District and Parkway 100 partners, The Philadelphia History Museum at Atwater Kent, Vitetta Architects and Engineers, Marianna Thomas Architects, Barry Halkin Photography, The City of Philadelphia Dept. of Records, The City of Philadelphia Dept. of Public Property.
In conjunction with City Hall: The Design and Architecture of the People’s Building, OACCE invites the public to a free, casual gallery talk on Friday, December 15 from 5-6pm in Philadelphia City Hall, Room 116. This Community Conversation event is part of Parkway 100’s Community Conversations series. The casual gallery talk will provide a free opportunity for the public to ask questions about the exhibition and meet the curators including Greta Greenberger, Retired Director of City Hall Tours, Independent Visitors Center, Bruce Laverty, Curator of Architecture, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Tu Huynh, Exhibitions Manager, Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. For more information visit creativephl.org/centennial-exhibit-conversation/.
“Our mission to bring the people’s art to the people’s building takes on new meaning with this exhibition,” said OACCE Exhibitions Manager, Tu Huynh. “We are thrilled to help Philadelphians to learn about the history of City Hall while sharing their questions directly with the curators during our Community Conversation.”
About Art in City Hall
Art in City Hall brings the people’s art to the people’s building, establishing a presence for the visual arts in one of the city’s most important civic spaces, and provides space for the local cultural community to display their work. City Hall showcases juried exhibits of professional and emerging local artists, arts and cultural institutions, community organizations and schools that utilize the arts in their programming. Encompassing a variety of mediums, techniques, and subjects, the program is committed to presenting a diversity of ideas and artistic explorations. For more information about Art in City Hall, visit: www.CreativePHL.org/exhibitions.
About City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy supports and promote arts, culture and the creative industries; develops partnerships that ensure culture and creativity are essential components of Philadelphia’s community revitalization, education, and economic development strategies; and links Philadelphians to cultural resources and opportunities. For more information about the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: www.CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.