Pictured Above: “The Fruit of the Spirit” (2018–2020) by Moe Brooker, located inside the William J. Green Jr. Federal Building in Philadelphia. Brooker’s painting is one of thousands of artworks in the General Services Administration (GSA) Fine Arts Collection nationwide that are now at risk of separation, sale, or neglect without a dedicated staff to manage and advocate for the collection. Photo by Joseph Hu, courtesy of the GSA.
One of the oldest and largest public art collections in the U.S. is now in jeopardy.
In light of recent federal job cuts at the General Services Administration (GSA)—which recently laid off nearly half of its fine arts and historic preservation staff—and the ongoing sale of federal buildings, more than 26,000 public artworks that make up the GSA’s nationwide Fine Arts Collection face an uncertain future, particularly the site-specific works.
“If the fine arts collection is left to exist on its own without a staff to oversee or maintain it, or if the collection is broken up, it’s an enormous loss for the history and legacy of our country.” –Charlotte Cohen
The GSA has commissioned and stewarded public art for nearly a century through initiatives like the New Deal programs of the 1930s and the ongoing Art in Architecture program, established in 1972. The collection includes sculptures, paintings, prints, and other works by significant American artists, installed in and around U.S. federal buildings. A notable example in Philadelphia is Color of Medals (1998) by Sam Gilliam—a pioneering abstract painter known for his richly stained drape paintings and the first Black artist to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale—installed at the Veterans Benefits Administration building.
“It’s been incredibly important in bringing art to the public in very accessible and equitable ways by some of the most important artists of our times,” says Charlotte Cohen, the Association for Public Art’s Executive Director and former GSA Fine Arts Officer, in a recent interview with The Washington Post. “If the fine arts collection is left to exist on its own without a staff to oversee or maintain it, or if the collection is broken up, it’s an enormous loss for the history and legacy of our country.”
As an historic organization dedicated to protecting and preserving public art in Philadelphia, the Association for Public Art is deeply concerned about this situation and we are actively working to raise public awareness. In that spirit, here are some of the GSA artworks in Philadelphia that you may not have realized are part of this important collection.