Philadelphia street art
There’s something cool about street art at the best of times, but especially when you’re a tourist. There’s something about the installations in public areas that says a lot about a city. The artwork represents the thoughts of the inspired, using symbols to tell the true tale of the place. And it’s telling what a city allows to be installed!
One work in particular caught my attention when I was in Philadelphia. It’s hard for a huge fighter jet crashed into the pavement not to catch your attention!
I walked around it, surveying it from every direction. I looked inside the windows and was surprised by what I saw. I touched it and felt the cold metal on my palms. I made a mental note to find out more about it.
I’m glad I did.
It turns out the work was made by a young local artist called Jordan Griska. He had bought the shell of the Grumman S2F plane on ebay and had it shipped to Philadelphia. In his workshop he fixed the damaged parts, adding fresh metal to some of the top and the landing gear door. Then, after fixing it up, he began to damage the plane again, crumpling parts of it to appear as though it had crashed into the ground.
Plane street art
It sounds impressive enough but, as they say, it’s what’s inside that counts. And inside the plane, Griska put the true meaning of his art. Looking through the windows, you can see a little greenhouse inside. Heat lights, a watering system, and exposure to the sun create the perfect environment for plants he’s put in the plane to grow.
Much of what is grown in the greenhouse of the fighter jet is edible. And everything is given to local Philadelphia projects that help to feed the poor and homeless. The artwork gives back to the community.
Veterans groups were apparently worried when they first heard about the project, fearing it would be insensitive but they’ve now embraced the idea. And Griska says the point was to demonstrate that an object could have a life beyond its initial aim, especially when it was originally built for war.
“These repurposed finished pieces simultaneously lead the viewer to contemplate the history of ‘the thing’ while changing the function of the object,” he’s quoted as saying. “My generation—what do we do with all these parts of post-war conflict? What is our role in that?”
The street art of a city has the power to show the true humanity of its citizens. From the pain of war, compassion can grow.
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28 Responses
That’s probably the coolest street art I have ever seen. So glad you took the time to find out more about it. When I first saw the pictures I immediately thought of 9/11 and thought it might be insensitive but I guess everyone is happy with it now. Brilliant project.
Yeah, you can understand why people might have been worried about it being insensitive when they heard about the original plans. But it’s turned out to be quite the opposite!
Very cool street art.. def not what you’d expect to see walking around in Philly! Neat story about the origin of the plane coming from ebay as well.. and you did a great job on the photos, love them!
Escaping Abroad recently posted..My Las Vegas Experience
I think I might check on ebay and see whether I can buy myself an old fighter plane!!
I’m a massive fan of street art, but this is probably the most novel installation I’ve ever seen involving a plane. “Planehenge” in the Australian outback was pretty out there.. but this one seems to have purpose beyond quirky. And that is a good thing!
Laurence recently posted..Top tips for surviving a European city in summer
Planehenge does sound pretty cool. I might have to check it out sometime when I’m back in Oz.
Love this. Love the artist’s dedication to his idea, and how amazing he translated it into this piece. This is why street art is so important – you’re just walking along, texting, thinking about some issue that’s bugging you and BAM, now you’re experiencing art. Great post!
Jess | GlobetrotterGirls recently posted..Polaroid of the week: Horses in the Sonoran desert in Southern Arizona
You’re right – that is the coolest thing about street art. It’s always unexpected and the best ones do make you stop and think… and often put your day into perspective.
Wow! Beautiful AND a cunning combo of ruin and growth. Love it.
Karen @ Trans-Americas Journey recently posted..100 Years of the Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Canada
I really love that combination… obviously a lot of thought went into the artwork.
WHOA, that is not what expected when I started reading the post. So cool! I saw another post today where somebody had cut holes in dozens of plastic soda bottles turned sideways and created an herb garden out of them. So ingenious, and the fact that it goes to feed people who need it is awesome. Wish Atlanta had a project like this!
Bret @ Green Global Travel recently posted..ENDANGERED SPECIES SPOTLIGHT: Iberian Lynx
I don’t imagine it actually grows heaps of food, but it’s nice that what it does grow helps the homeless. Perhaps cities should considering creating and expanding projects like this – it a really sustainable way of using ‘trash’.
Wow a fallen plane, the idea itself seems to be great and the original site is even more better, I wish I could see it in realty.
I think they’re planning to take it down at some point – it was only supposed to be up for a while and they’ve already extended the time because it’s been so popular.
As mentioned several times that is pretty cool. Not just to have the idea of art, but to find a way to grow stuff in it.
Though I think it would be hard on me to spend time and energy fixing up a plane, just to destroy it again.
Andrew recently posted..Eccentric views of Mykonos
Perhaps you should make one for the garden… it would be quite a novel herb garden!
I am having one of those moments where I want to read every post in the sidebar.
Thanks, Cristin!
Well that’s definitely different. It’s not plain that’s for sure. I have to admit that I am not the most creative person in the world so I would never come up with something like this. A plane crashing into a sidewalk. And then add a greenhouse? Quite remarkable!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Penn State football, the Summer Olympics, and the state of our world
Who knows how the minds of artists work? I’m just glad they do!
This is one of my favorite public art pieces in philly. I can’t believe you managed to get a picture of it without crowds of people around!
Heather recently posted..Travel Photo Roulette #45: ‘Surreal’ – My Entry for 7/25/2012
Oh, is it normally crowded, is it? I pretty much found it by accident but was so glad I did. It’s super cool. What a pity they’re planning to take it down at some point.
Funny, I’m sitting in the airport right no in Philadelphia. Only in transit though so I can’t go and see this amazing art. But I’m with it in spirit since I’m going on a plane:)
Deb recently posted..Five Weeks, Four Countries and a Mic
Yikes, I hope your trip ends up a bit more successfully than this one!
This is the best example of re-use I’ve ever since. I love that the artist gives back to the community.
Mary @ Green Global Travel recently posted..ECO NEWS: New U.S. Fuel Efficiency Standards (Plus 30 Other Obama Accomplishments)
It’s a cool concept, isn’t it? And like all great artwork, it makes you think.
Griska is amazing. Purpose, food, art, charity – all in one work. Wow!
Maria recently posted..Catch and Release
Isn’t it fantastic the way he’s worked so much into one piece of art. I love it too!