Presented by The Association for Public Art at Cherry Street Pier. Paul Ramírez Jonas' monumental artwork plays the song "My Country 'Tis of Thee" in its entirety—all but the final note. Participants must pull a lever to ring the last note on a 600-pound bell at the base of the sculpture to complete the song, a metaphor for how we can work together as a society to fulfill the unfinished promises of our nation's founding. This artwork promotes civic engagement by providing a public site to speak, listen, and learn from one another, and to bring people together to imagine a more inclusive future that embraces the complexities of our past. Two phrases etched on the bell—"I want to be free from _____" and "I want to be free to _____"—offer an intimate connection to the themes of the work. The Association for Public Art will be collecting and displaying finished phrases from participants as a way to amplify voices and share experiences. Let Freedom Ring was originally commissioned by Monument Lab for its Beyond Granite exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in 2023. Support for Let Freedom Ring is provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial. Facilitators are on site 2–8 PM to support visitor interaction with the sculpture. 30 minutes recommended visit. Free admission.
Audience Role
Musician
Ages: All ages
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Tags
22
Events
6
Years on EI
About FringeArts
FringeArts presents world-class, contemporary performing arts that challenge convention and inspire new ways of thinking. FringeArts is Philadelphia’s home for contemporary performance, presenting progressive, world-class art that expands the imagination and boldly defies expectations. Our programming exposes audiences to genre-defying performances and installations by accomplished and emerging innovators who push the boundaries of art-making and redefine the artistic landscape worldwide. Each September, the organization presents the annual Fringe Festival, a 3-week celebration that fills the city’s neighborhoods with more than 1,000 curated and independently produced performances. Year-round, FringeArts presents an equally compelling line up of performances at its state-of-the-art venue on the Delaware River Waterfront—a renovated historic building that also houses La Peg Restaurant & Bar and Haas Biergarten. This line up includes Blue Heaven Comedy Festival in February, High Pressure Fire Service—a series of new works by local artists—running March through June, Hand to Hand Circus Festival in the summer, and additional programming for late night and outdoor events in Haas Biergarten throughout the year. As a catalyst for cultural and community development, and a destination that brings artists and audiences together, FringeArts is central to the city’s vibrant arts community and the enrichment of the lives of those who reside, work, and visit here.