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Salvaged Trees Find New Life At
Philadelphia International Airport
Transformed Into Art,
Trees Rooted in Local History Philadelphia - Philadelphia International Airport
(PHL) is displaying three wooden sculptures carved from trees with strong ties
to Philadelphia's bygone era.
Planted in 1924, the empress trees
(Paulownia tomentosa) were part of the original landscape of Philadelphia's
Logan Circle, an urban park in the heart of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. As
the trees neared the end of their natural lifespan, Philadelphia artist Linda
Brenner decided to salvage them rather than see them discarded or processed
after the park's renovation.
"We're all interested in nature and how
things grow," says Brenner. "Most art comes from nature."
In her quest
to commemorate the twelve original empress trees, Brenner found inspiration in
two sources. The first was the geometry of French architect Jacques Greber's
design for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The second theme was Philadelphia's
three principal waterways - the Delaware River, Schuylkill River and
Wissahickon Creek - that are represented by sculptures in Logan Circle's Swann
Memorial Fountain.
Reflecting these dual influences, Brenner's
exhibition features a backdrop reminiscent of the Parkway's design. The
sculptures are also adorned with geometric shapes and lines that reflect the
design in miniature.
"In nature, there is a formal order of things,"
observes Brenner, who teaches at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Likewise, the flowing form of Brenner's sculpture evokes the idea of
the region's three waterways.
Linda Brenner: Paulownia Project is
located in Philadelphia International Airport's Terminal C. It will be on
display until June.
The Philadelphia Airport System is owned and operated by the City of
Philadelphia and is composed of Philadelphia International Airport and
Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The Airport System is a self-sustaining entity
that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest
economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14 billion in
spending to the regional economy and employing a workforce of nearly
34,000.
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