Spending a year on the University of Pennsylvania campus, in 1987-88 (see my travel diaries article!), the European exchange student I am is particularly impressed by the Philadelphia skyline, as seen from the Museum steps made famous by the Rocky movies…
… or, from the 25th floor of the high rise building I live in, as it is beautifully lit by the setting sun.
The skyline changes before my eyes: Philadelphia’s first iconic skyscraper, “One Liberty Place”, is being finished. Its 61 floors and 945 feet dominate the entire city.
It’s the first building to break the gentlemen’s agreement not to build any structure in Center City higher than the statue of William Penn on top of Philadelphia City Hall built in 1901.
If Philadelphia actually isn’t a particularly attractive city, it harbors a gem: its Philharmonic Orchestra, then directed by Ricardo Muti. Those motivated enough to arrive early and queue up can attend amazing concerts for just $2, from the top-most gallery, from which we have great views of the orchestra…
… and of the whole theater.
Outside, a more colorful type of music continues…
… reminding us that the centers of American cities are typically, after sundown, mostly left to the poorer among the population.
My campus is a small island of indecent wealth entrenched in the very poor neighborhood of West Philadelphia. In just a few steps, we move from ostentatious success to misery…
… and signs of violence are visible at almost every street corner.
This environment gives me the opportunity to make my first street portrait:
In spite of the optimistic, voluntarist mural paintings…
… many places look and feel like they belong in the third world.
This store seems to provide an essential service.
Still, culture and poetry are sometimes found in the most unexpected places, like on the back of this car, quoting “Jean Cocteau upon meeting M. Dietrich: “Madame, your name starts with a caress and ends with a whiplash” (1947)”
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More to come, stay tuned!
Didier.
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