December 12, 2011
PAFA’s Lenfest Plaza Welcomes “Grumman Greenhouse,” A Naval Plane Converted Into A Functioning Garden To Benefit Local Families
Grumman Greenhouse, the new sculpture at Lenfest Plaza crafted by PAFA alum and Center City resident Jordan Griska, transforms a 45-foot-long cold war era Naval plane into a functioning greenhouse. (Photo by Christian Carollo of PicturePhilly)
Lenfest Plaza, the new civic space outside the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, officially opened on October 1 with a 13-hour “Party on the Plaza” complete with an outdoor arts festival, free museum tour and the inaugural lighting of the 51-foot Claes Oldenburg sculpture Paint Torch.
But the Paint Torch isn’t the only sculptural element of the plaza.
PAFA alum (’09) and Center City resident Jordan Griska crafted a piece specifically for the space. It’s called Grumman Greenhouse, and it was installed in all its glory a few weeks after the plaza’s grand opening, as you can see in the nighttime shot above.
Grumman Tracker II was a 45-foot-long cold war era Naval plane with a 73′ wingspan, used to bomb submarines. Griska obtained the decommissioned plane and folded the metal of the nose and body of the plane so that it appears to be crumpling into the platform. In addition, he turned the existing sections of the plane into working greenhouses, leading to the name of the piece: Grumman Greenhouse.
The inside of the plane will grow nutritive and medicinal plants, provided by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The edible growth will be used for City Harvest, which feeds low income families in the region.
Griska’s Grumman Greenhouse inaugurates the temporary exhibitions program at Lenfest Plaza. Complementing the permanent, site-specific Paint Torch by Oldenburg, the platform at the west end of the plaza will display projects by emerging and established artists for about one year each.
Check out the sculptures at Lenfest Plaza as a break from your holiday shopping and attraction-hopping. It’s perfectly situated a few short blocks from the Christmas Village in Love Park, Macy’s Holiday Light Show and the new delicious restaurants in the North Broad area.
Sensational public art is part of what makes Philadelphia’s creative culture so exceptional. Make sure you see it for yourself!
[Photo courtesy Picture Philly]
Lenfest Plaza
118-128 N. Broad Street
www.pafa.org
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