Editorial | Beauty and the east

In yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer, architecture critic Inga Saffron wrote that Philadelphia will soon gain a new piece of public art.

The piece, entitled Iroquois, was created by sculptor Mark di Suvero in 1999. An anonymous donor gave it to the Fairmount Park Association, which, as Saffron reports, will place it on an island in Fairmount Park among other pieces of art.

Philadelphia has long made placing masterful public art throughout the city a priority. From the famous "LOVE" sculpture downtown to the numerous murals that dot the city, officials recognize that public art not only beautifies an area, but brings in visitors and locals alike.

Penn, too, has committed itself to public art on campus - the button outside of Van Pelt Library and the mini-version of the "LOVE" sculpture, to name a few - have become an ingrained part of the campus landscape.

The University's eastward expansion plans are ripe with opportunities for more public art on campus. According to the campus development master plan, one public art installation is planned for Walnut Street Bridge during construction, but that is the only one officially mentioned.

Penn will soon begin constructing vast green spaces on the banks of the Schuykill. This is the perfect place for a public art display. Considering Penn's new reputation in the art and architecture world thanks to the critically-praised Skirkanich Hall, the University would have little trouble attracting world-class artists to design or donate a piece.

In addition, the benefits of installing public art by the river would not be limited to Penn; having public art on the waterfront would do much to assist the city in its efforts to develop the Schuykill as a major attraction.

One of Penn's ultimate goals is to fully connect the campus with the rest of the city. Beyond physically bridging the Schuylkill, public art is a unique and creative way to realize this vision.

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