New US exhibition explores power of monuments – with help from Rocky
Summary
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is opening an exhibition about the power of monuments, focusing on the statue of Rocky Balboa, the fictional boxer played by Sylvester Stallone. The show explores why millions of people visit this statue and looks at the history of boxing monuments from ancient times to today.Key Facts
- The Rocky Balboa statue was placed on the museum steps in 1982, after the 1976 film made Stallone famous.
- About 4 million people visit the statue each year, similar to the number visiting the Statue of Liberty.
- The exhibition is called "Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments" and is curated by Paul Farber.
- The show looks at how fighters have been public figures for thousands of years, using ancient and modern artwork.
- The Rocky statue started as a movie prop but became a popular monument over time.
- The exhibit includes works from famous artists like Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
- The curator highlights that Rocky is a fictional white boxer, while many real Black Philadelphia boxers have also had important roles in their community.
- Sylvester Stallone views the museum steps as a symbol of Rocky’s journey from poverty to success.
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