Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net

Nearby 39.981000,-75.155400

List View | Map View

Red Owl
Beniamino Bufano, 1988 (originally installed)
* owl
* Was on the Northeast corner of Founder's Garden. Moved in 2017. The first picture is from the original location.
* Replaced by Temple Owl
* Upper Southeast corner of Founder's Garden. West side of 13th, South of Polett Walk.
* 39.981000,-75.155400 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Moved
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Beniamino Bufano page
+sikora-wa.com page for their Founder's Garden reimagining

Russell Conwell
Boris Blai, 1968
* Bust of Russell Conwell
* big head
* Conwell and his wife, Sarah S. Conwell, are buried behind the sculpture. The waterfall in the background of the third picture was added in 2017.
* The waterfall is part of the O'Connor Plaza Fountain
* inscription: Russell H. Conwell, Founder of Temple University, 1843-1925
* Conwell's burial site. Lower Northwest corner of Founder's Garden. Liacouras and Polett Walks.
* 39.981350,-75.155700 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+findagrave.com entry for this piece
+wikipedia.org's Boris Blai page
+wikipedia.org's Russell Conwell page
+sikora-wa.com page for their Founder's Garden reimagining

O'Connor Plaza Fountain
Sikora Wells Appel, 2017
* In honor of Marie O'Connor and Patrick O'Connor
* abstract geometric waterfall fountain
* Also the background waterfall for Russell Conwell
* O'Connor Plaza. Upper Northwest corner of Founder's Garden. Liacouras and Polett Walks.
* 39.981390,-75.155690 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+sikora-wa.com
+cozen.com's Patrick O'Connor page
+sikora-wa.com page for their Founder's Garden reimagining

Temple Owl
Corolfi Studios, 2017
* In honor of Marie O'Connor and Patrick O'Connor
* big owl, Temple T
* Replaced Red Owl
* inscription:
Temple University proudly dedicates this plaza in the heart of the campus in honor of Patrick and Marie O'Connor. Their inspired generosity and distinguished leadership create life-changing opportunities for our students and others. Patrick J. O'Connor joined the Temple University Board of Trustees in 1971 as the youngest trustee in the university's history and served until 1984. He returned to the board in 2001 and was elected chairman in 2009. In 2013 he received an honorary degree from Temple University.
* O'Connor Plaza. Upper Northwest corner of Founder's Garden. Liacouras and Polett Walks.
* 39.981455,-75.155755 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+carolfistudios.com
+cozen.com's Patrick O'Connor page
+sikora-wa.com page for their Founder's Garden reimagining

Bell Tower
Nolen Swinburne and Associates, 1965
* big tower, bells
* Polett Walk between 12th and 13th.
* 39.981300,-75.154350 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+Nolen-Swinburne page from philadelphiabuildings.org

Barton and Beury Hall Walls
John Botkin, David Porter, 1984
* big abstract forms
* Barton Hall, which was on the West side of 13th, was replaced by the Charles Library in 2019, so half of this piece is missing. The third picture is of the Beury half, taken from outside the library in 2021. The artist is listed elsewhere as "John Borkin"
* Wall. East side of 13th, North of Polett Walk.
* 39.981925,-75.154875 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Missing
* See also:
+porterarchitects.com article about this piece
+porterarchitects.com

Hurry
William King, 1980
* two people standing
* North side of Polett Walk between 12th and 13th.
* 39.981500,-75.154200 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's William King page

Temple Gates
1929 (installed 1960)
* lamp, Temple seal, building
* Gates. Polett Walk, East side of Broad, South of Norris.
* 39.981650,-75.156900 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour

Carnell Hall
1928
* small heads
* Both sides of the door. East side of Broad, North of Montgomery.
* 39.980425,-75.157075 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Gargoyles, Unidentified
* See also:
+Gerry Wilkinson's Carnell Hall page

Mitten Hall
1931
* standing, sitting and horizontal, partial people, musical instruments, sun, moon and stars, telescope, flying horse, castle, symbols
* Pictures have been significantly color altered to show detail. Owls carved at the corners and reliefs on the South wall are not yet pictured.
* West wall. East side of Broad, South of Norris.
* 39.981900,-75.156900 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Athletic
* See also:
+Gerry Wilkinson's Mitten Hall page

Conwell Hall Gargoyles
1924 (building date)
* small seated people wearing hats
* Both sides of the door. East side of Broad, North of Montgomery.
* 39.980350,-75.157285 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Gargoyles, Unidentified
* See also:
+Gerry Wilkinson's history page with Conwell Hall information

Johnnie Ring
Boris Blai, 1958 (installed 1964)
* Statue of and tribute to Johnnie Ring
* small standing person wearing a hat, Bible, sword
* Also listed as "Johnny Ring" including on maps distributed by the University.
* inscription:
"Johnnie Ring was the youth whose example in life and heroism in death provided inspiration that led to the founding of Temple University. In the war between the states he was personal orderly to Captain Russell H. Conwell of the 46th Massachusetts Infantry. The moving forces of his life at that time were his religious faith and his devotion to Captain Conwell. When a surprise Confederate attack routed Union troops, it was Johnnie Ring who raced across a flaming bridge and through enemy gunfire to retrieve from his commander's tent the ceremonial sword presented to the Captain by the city of Springfield. He brought back the sword, but he died that night of his burns as Conwell knelt by his cot in prayer. The incident turned Conwell to the ministry as a life work and later to the founding of Temple University. He vowed to live a life for Johnnie Ring as well as for himself. Eight hours of work a day for Johnnie, eight hours of work for his own. Except for Johnnie Ring, Conwell would never have told America the story of the acres of diamonds, nor would he have built the University that enabled multitudes of young men and women to realize the promise of education." -Russell Conwell Cooney
A lad who didn't die
1861-1958
* West side of Beasley' Walk, North of Polett Walk.
* 39.982575,-75.156525 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Religious, War
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Boris Blai page

Six in a Series of Tubular Forms
Paul Sisko, 1979
* tubular form
* Was on the East side of 12th Street, just North of Polett Walk, in front of Gladfelter Hall, where the Science Education and Research Center, which was completed in 2014, now stands.
* 39.981465,-75.153000 [map] [nearby]
* Exhibits: Missing
* See also:
+paulsisko.com

Black Rock Mesa
Glenn Zweygardt, 1978
* geometric forms
* Liacouras Walk, just North of Cecil B. Moore.
* 39.979225,-75.156500 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+glennzweygardt.com

Lincoln the Lawyer
Emil Seletz, 1968
* Bust of Abraham Lincoln
* head
* inscription:
Presented by
Emil Seletz, M.D. "32" Sculptor
Josepha Seletz, M.D. "76"
Jimmy Seletz, J.D.
Dedicated to
Marvin Wachman, President
* In front of the Temple University Law School. East side of Broad, South of Montgomery.
* 39.979890,-75.157350 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+LA Times article about Emil Seletz and his busts of Lincoln
+wikipedia.org's Abraham Lincoln page
+law.temple.edu

Columbia Subway Plaza
Richard Fleischner, 1986
* abstract architectural elements
* first picture retouched to remove some of the black paint
* Plaza. Northeast Corner, Broad and Cecil B. Moore.
* 39.978900,-75.157000 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Mass Transit
* See also:
+wikipedia.org's Richard Fleischner page