Arts & Entertainment

Barnes Statue by Ellsworth Kelly Gets Unanimous Approval

The piece will be placed outside the new Philadelphia location for the Barnes collection.

The Philadelphia Art Commission Wednesday unanimously approved the installation a sculpture by Ellsworth Kelly entitled Barnes Totem.

The commissioned piece will be displayed on the grounds of the new building in Philadelphia, which looks pretty complete from the outside, although the grounds are still clearly being worked. The site is still encircled by chain link fence.

The 40-foot statue will be placed at the end of the reflecting pool, a site selected by Kelly himself, in collaboration with the architects and landscape architect.

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“The bead-blasted surface of the stainless steel work will complement the richly textured limestone and bronze fins of the building's exterior. The sculpture will also echo the vertical forms of the red maples lining the path toward the building's entrance, contributing to Laurie Olin's sensitive landscape design, which includes a number of horticultural elements that evoke the setting of the original Barnes Foundation building in Merion. Kelly's focus on line, form, color, and spatial relationships finds resonance in the formal elements at the heart of Barnes's aesthetic theory and teaching practice—light, line, color, and space.” -- Barnes Press Release


The sculpture is a gift from the Neubauer Family Foundation.

The new Barnes is set to open May 19, which will start a 10-day celebration with special visits to the new facility, including a weekend of free admission to the new museum on May 26-28.

If you want to visit, but can’t make the free period over Memorial Day weekend or would rather skip that crowd, here are the hours and fees:

Hours

Find out what's happening in Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Monday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Tuesday: (closed to the public)
  • Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Friday: 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Sunday: 9:30a.m.-6 p.m.


Ticket Prices

  • Members: Free
  • Adults: $18
  • Seniors: $15
  • Students: $10
  • Children (0-5): Free


To see pictures of how the Philadelphia Barnes is shaping up, check back with Ardmore Patch this weekend.


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