PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 13, 2015 — The Association for Public Art (aPA), with support from Apartment Investment and Management Company (Aimco) and in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, presents Sculpture Zoo in Rittenhouse Square on Saturday, August 8th from 10am to 1pm. All are invited to enjoy free, fun-filled interactive activities that will enliven the Square’s public artworks.
Discover live animals on location: a small reptile near Lion Crushing a Serpent, a goat next to Billy, and a bird nearby Duck Girl. There will be sculpture demonstrations by local artists, inspired by the animals – a common practice of the sculptors whose works are located in the Square. Friends and family are invited to participate in sculpture-making workshops led by teaching artists, and visitors will be able to learn about the sculptures through aPA’s Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO program. Help to bring the sculptures to life! For more information, visit associationforpublicart.org/sculpturezoo.
“Rittenhouse Square is home to some of Philadelphia’s many historic sculptures that feature animals,” says aPA Executive Director Penny Balkin Bach. “Antoine Louis Barye, the French artist who created Lion Crushing a Serpent, was known as the ‘Michelangelo of the Menagerie’; and Billy was said to have been inspired by Philadelphia sculptor Albert Laessle’s family goat. Laessle even had a studio near the Philadelphia Zoo, which informed his animal studies. Our programming connects with such stories and creates new and unexpected situations for audiences of all ages to actively engage with Philadelphia’s exceptional collection of outdoor sculpture.”
- Sculpture Workshops: Stop by any of three tents set up near Billy, Duck Girl, or Lion Crushing a Serpent for artist-led sculpture making activities inspired by the existing sculptures and live animals. Participants will also receive a public art “goodie bag,” which includes a customized sketchbook.
- Sculpture Demonstrations: Witness the unique sculpture-making process through sculpture demonstrations led by Philadelphia artists Darla Jackson, Stephen Layne, and Colleen Rudolf. The sculptors will share their unique techniques working directly from life.
- Photo contest: Submit your best photos of the event by using #sculpturezoo on Instagram or Twitter. All appropriate photo submissions will be entered into a photo contest. The top three #sculpturezoo photo submissions will receive a prize.
- Listen to Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO: Public Art Ambassadors will be on site to share information about the aPA’s award-winning Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO program, an interpretive program that shares compelling stories about Philadelphia’s public art. Ambassadors will distribute MWW: AUDIO maps and guide participants interested in experiencing the program on their cell phones, smart phones, or online.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Association for Public Art to bring sculpture to life in Rittenhouse Square,” said Aimco Senior Vice President Patti Shwayder. “With our newly remodeled Sterling Apartment Homes just a few blocks from the Square, we are proud to be good neighbors and supporters of this unique event. Our strong alliance with aPA started with the award-winning Open Air light installation by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway a few years ago and we applaud Executive Director Penny Balkin Bach and her outstanding organization for creating yet another exceptional and creative Philadelphia event.”
About the Association for Public Art
The Association for Public Art (aPA, formerly Fairmount Park Art Association) commissions, preserves, promotes, and interprets public art in Philadelphia. Since its founding in 1872, aPA has worked with artists, communities, and civic leaders to make encounters with art a part of everyday life, creating a Museum Without Walls™ that is free and accessible to residents and visitors. As the nation’s first private nonprofit organization dedicated to integrating public art and urban planning, aPA has an unparalleled and pioneering history, characterized by artistic excellence, creative initiative, collaboration, and civic engagement. Working closely with city agencies, aPA remains today a central resource and contributor to Philadelphia’s enduring reputation as an important place to view and experience the evolution of public art. Through aPA’s free, interactive public programs, website and publications, Philadelphians and visitors are invited to experience civic spaces enlivened by artists and art; to discover the city’s vast collection of public art; and to connect to a shared cultural legacy. For more information visit http://associationforpublicart.org.
About Aimco
Aimco is a real estate investment trust that is focused on the ownership and management of quality apartment communities located in the largest markets in the United States including eight apartment communities in Philadelphia. Aimco is one of the largest owners and operators of apartments with 198 communities in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Aimco common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIV and are included in the S&P 500. For more information about Aimco, please visit our website at www.aimco.com.