Air

Sculpture by Walker Hancock

Originally commissioned by the City of Philadelphia’s Percent for Art Program, Air was cast in 1979 and installed in 1982 at the former Civic Center Building. The Civic Center was demolished in 1999 and the sculpture was put into storage until 2015 when it was installed on Schuylkill Banks at the Cherry Street Plaza. SRDC is thrilled to welcome this beautiful work of art to the Banks. 

Walker Hancock (1901-1998) studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under Charles Grafly and was Instructor of Sculpture there from 1929 to 1967. During World War II, he helped recover stolen treasures from the Nazis as one of the "Monuments Men." Hancock was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1989 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1990.

Learn more about this sculpture and other public artwork in Philadelphia here.