Up until a few weeks ago, the walk past Distrito towards the SEPTA station on 40th and Market seemed pretty bleak. Even today, just one block away from the “Penn bubble,” buildings stand vacant and the familiar groups of backpack–clad students have dispersed. Nevertheless, a new program, run through the Rotunda, is attempting to liven the area by using the empty storefronts as gallery spaces. The project is intended to engage pedestrians on their daily commute and to infuse art into usable spaces.
The Rotunda, in collaboration with Penn, began working on the storefronts late in 2013. The windows were cleaned inside and out and the bars removed. Shadow boxes were built so artwork could be easily installed and the vacant stores behind were no longer visible. What’s more, power was installed in the spaces, and timers will soon be set up to illuminate the works between sunset and sunrise. This will undoubtedly transform the street and make it more interesting and welcoming, while simultaneously offering exposure for the artists.
Ed Datz, Executive Director of Real Estate in Penn Facilities & Real Estate Services, said, “The properties along this block are identified for redevelopment. The current buildings are not suitable for retail without significant investment and it was determined that replacement was the higher and better use. Exact size and scale will be identified through the development process. The arts program is to activate the corridor until this redevelopment advances.”
The first pieces, contributed by the artists of the 40th Street Artists–in–Residence Program, were installed earlier this semester and will be exhibited for six to seven weeks. Each storefront is different, as Gina Renzi, director of the Rotunda, explained—it was up to the artists to decide what to put in the spaces. One set of windows, on the corner of 40th and Chestnut, contains drawings made out of hair by Brenna K. Murphy, whose work is also currently on display at the 40th AIR Gallery.
The Rotunda is looking to Penn students to fill the pop–up spaces. As Gina asserted, the spaces have endless possibilities—artists have free reign, within reason, to display what they want. From drawings to funhouse mirrors to graphic work to sculptures to fashion—the sky is your limit! Go crazy!
