Artwork Details
- Title
- AMOR
- Artist
- Robert Indiana (1928 – 2018)
- Year
- 1998; installed 2015; relocated 2016
- Location
- Sister Cities Park, 18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
- Medium
- Polychrome aluminum painted red and blue
- Dimensions
- 72″x72″x36″
Artwork Description
On the occasion of the 2015 World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S., the Philadelphia Art museum in partnership with the Association for Public Art presented the installation of Robert Indiana’s AMOR atop the Museum’s famous steps, where the sculpture overlooked the Papal Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. AMOR – which means “love” in both Pope Francis’ native Spanish and the Church’s traditional Latin – was on loan from the Morgan Art Foundation, courtesy of Simon and Marc Salama-Caro, and remained on view atop the steps through October 23, 2016.
AMOR is now permanently installed in Philadelphia’s Sister Cities Park at 18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The sculpture was formally dedicated at its new location on December 2, 2016.
Robert Indiana is the artist behind the iconic LOVE (1976) sculpture, located in nearby LOVE Park. He created this Latin/Spanish version of the sculpture in response to the changing demographics of the U.S. and his desire to speak to his fellow citizens. As a permanent part of the City of Philadelphia’s public art collection, AMOR serves as a companion artwork to LOVE.
The permanent installation of AMOR was made possible through the generosity of the City of Philadelphia, the Morgan Art Foundation, the Philadelphia Art Museum, Mrs. Edith R. Dixon, and the Association for Public Art.
Artwork Credits
Acquired through the generosity of the City of Philadelphia, the Morgan Art Foundation, the Philadelphia Art Museum, Mrs. Edith R. Dixon, and the Association for Public Art
Owned by the City of Philadelphia
Artwork Media
Museum Without Walls
Voices:
ROBERT INDIANA (1928-2018), heard on archival recording, is the American painter, sculptor, and graphic artist who created AMOR.
MARGOT BERG is the former Public Art Director for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, which oversees Indiana’s AMOR and LOVE sculptures.
FATHER DENNIS GILL is Rector and Pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, located across from AMOR.
FERNANDO MENDEZ is a journalist and founding member of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Mexican Cultural Center.
Segment Producer: Anne Hoffman