Martin Puryear’s Pavilion in the Trees (1993) was envisioned as a permanent amenity—a treehouse-like retreat for generations to enjoy, nestled in the Lansdowne Glen of Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park. But what does “permanent” mean for a wooden structure exposed to the elements? Is anything truly built to last forever?

Our 2024 Annual Report offers a comprehensive review of the Association for Public Art’s work over the past year, including a letter from our Executive Director, Charlotte Cohen.

The Association for Public Art is proud to announce that it has received a generous grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage to bring Paul Ramirez Jonas’ Let Freedom Ring to Philadelphia in 2026 as part of the city-wide semiquincentennial celebration.

On Saturday, October 26th, join artist Rachel Hsu and Philadelphia Poet Laureate Trapeta B. Mayson at The Weight of Our Living on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for a free poetry workshop, featuring a reading and interactive activities based on the themes of this new installation.

Discover the creative journey behind Rachel Hsu’s new installation in this engaging artist talk at Asian Arts Initiative on September 17th. Hsu will discuss her inspiration drawn from reflexology and how her outdoor site-specific sculpture, The Weight of Our Living, explores themes of pain, tenderness, and care. This event is the Association for Public Art’s 152nd Annual Meeting and is free and open to all with registration.

Join the Association for Public Art and the Parkway Council at the Oar Pub at Park Towne Place to celebrate the opening of The Weight of Our Living by Rachel Hsu at nearby Maja Park. Enjoy complimentary light refreshments, hear brief remarks from the artist, and explore this brand new installation with us.

The Association for Public Art and the Parkway Council are pleased to announce that the selected proposal for our Art on the Parkway juried competition for The 2024 Oval is The Weight of Our Living by Philadelphia-based artist Rachel Hsu. Inspired by Taiwan’s reflexology footpaths, this temporary installation invites visitors to embark on a tactile and meditative experience by removing their shoes and traversing an undulating surface of river stones.

The Association for Public Art and the Parkway Council are thrilled to announce our finalists for the Art on the Parkway juried competition. Proposals from Rachel Hsu; Bumjin Kim and Team (Anna Lim, Nicholas Houser, and Daniel Ortega); and Sarah Peoples have been selected as the leading contenders for a temporary public art installation in Philadelphia’s Maja Park as part of the annual Oval summer festival.