PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Benjamin Franklin Parkway has some new eye candy between 21st and 22nd streets.
Calder Gardens is dedicated to the mid-20th-century art of Pennsylvania native Alexander Calder. His mixed medium art, from mobiles to stabiles, pushed the boundaries of the imagination while encouraging self-reflection.
Calder Gardens is set within the landscape of 250 varieties of plants and accented by a 1,800-square-foot building.
The space is a collaboration between the Calder Foundation and the Barnes Foundation, which is “providing administrative and operational support through an innovative resource-sharing model,” according to the exhibit.
The site’s gardens were created by Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf. The building itself was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning firm Herzog & de Meuron and is reminiscent of Calder’s own bohemian home in Connecticut.
“[Calder Gardens is] an invitation for you to come, not knowing what to expect,” said program director Juana Berrío. “We’re not calling this a museum because gardens change, like the work of Alexander Calder.”
She said Calder’s intentionally placed works are surrounded by complementary architecture.
“I think it’s important for people to come and see how every single area is interconnected, as in the case of life,” she said. “Everything is interconnected and the gardens, the building, and the works of color, the programs, and community are all interconnected.”
There will be an inaugural artists’ parade to celebrate the reveal of the garden on Saturday, Sept. 20, from noon to 2 p.m. Calder Gardens will open its doors to the public the following day.
It will be open Wednesdays through Mondays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.