The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy's Percent for Art Program and the Free Library of Philadelphia are pleased to celebrate the completion of Commemorating the Stacks, a new site-specific public artwork at the Parkway Central Library by Philadelphia-based artist Colette Fu.
The unveiling will coincide with the Free Library of Philadelphia's grand public opening of reimagined spaces in the Parkway Central Library on Friday, April 12. The opening of the new public space is the culmination of a multi-year $35.8 million modernization and renovation project. "This is our first Percent for Art unveiling of 2019, which is the 60th anniversary year of the Percent for Art Program - the first in the nation," said Margot Berg, Public Art Director. "It is appropriate that this extraordinary new public artwork is installed at the Free Library of Philadelphia - an institution that has served so many Philadelphians in our neighborhoods for over 100 years."'Commemorating the Stacks' at the Parkway Central Library. Courtesy of Colette Fu. The new site-specific artwork consists of eight tunnel books-three-dimensional acrylic works inspired by traditional paper tunnel books-an historical accordion-like book form, consisting of parallel layers of cut paper that create a multi-dimensional scene when viewed from the front. The work spans two new spaces in the Parkway Central Library-The Robert and Eileen Kennedy Heim Center for Civic and Cultural Engagement and the Business Resource and Innovation Center (BRIC). Ms. Fu's installations consist of laser-cut frosted acrylic layers that create a complex and playful design mimicking paper. On the face of each of the tunnel books is a frame constructed using fragments of the library's original metal shelving system.
Commemorating the Stacks pays homage to the six-level historic book shelving and storage system that was removed to allow for Parkway Central's newest public spaces. Photographs taken by Ms. Fu of these closed stacks inspired the artwork's imagery. With a complex retrieval system and capacity to house more than one million books, the stacks served as the central hub for all of the neighborhood libraries until the Free Library chose to reduce their footprint by moving books offsite and installing new compact shelving in the renovated space for the books' return. They are fondly remembered through Ms. Fu's artwork, which is prominently featured in the 41,000-square-foot space that has been opened for new public and staff areas.This Percent for Art opportunity was nationally announced as an open Call to Artists in June 2016 to artists and artist teams. Out of the 112 applicants, five finalists were selected to present proposals. The selection panel consisted of: Blake Bradford, Director and Professor, Lincoln-Barnes Museum Studies Program at Lincoln University; Laura Deutch, Artist and Director of Education & Production, PhillyCAM; and Theresa Rose, Artist and Professor, Moore College of Art. The Advisory Panel consisted of representatives from: Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Safdie Architects, Kelly/Maiello Architects, and Sally Malenka, conservator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The selection panel unanimously selected Ms. Fu's proposal.
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