LIBERTY BELL PHILADELPHIA
Photo by Darian DiCianno/BFA.com courtesy of Art Production Fund, Philadelphia
LIBERTY BELL PHILADELPHIA
On view in Philadelphia over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
The historic Liberty Bell in Philadelphia seeded the inspiration for this project. Because the Liberty Bell is one of the most widely recognized symbols of American independence and freedom, Philadelphia is an essential location for the artwork. Most historians believe the Liberty Bell was one of many bells that rang on July 8, 1776, a few days following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the 1830s, the bell became a symbol for abolitionist societies who called it the “Liberty Bell”, the name we know it by today. As a metaphor, the cracked bell mirrors both the brokenness of many Americans’ current and past experience of liberty and its intended democratic goals. It also reflects an evolution of declared independence into unchecked nationalism of today. Liberty is inextricably linked to equality. The abolitionist origins of Liberty Bell inform the ethos of the project, which acknowledges that the founding fathers fought for the liberty of “men,” while enslaving others.
DIRECTIONS TO VIEW ARTWORK
From the steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art and on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Best vantage points are from the bottom of the steps and the Oval Park across MLK Drive. Drawing will appear overhead. This viewing location is wheelchair accessible.
Ideal viewing area is indicated within the red boxes:
