Iroquois, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
Iroquois is a sculpture by American artist Mark di Suvero, owned by the Association for Public Art (formerly the Fairmount Park Art Association). The artwork is located at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, at Eakins Ovaland 24th Street, Philadelphia, United States. Iroquois is one of 51 sculptures included in the Association’s for Public Art’s Museum Without Walls.
An innovator in the use of industrial materials, Mark di Suvero describes his monumental sculptures as “paintings in three dimensions with the crane as my paintbrush.” His 40-foot-high painted steel Iroquois has a robust energy and physical presence, which appeals to a wide audience.
The abstract sculpture is formed from painted steel I-beams, which are emblematic of the artist’s use of industrial materials. A Chinese influence can be noted in the central knot shape and brilliant red color of the sculpture. Iroquois also has a characteristic kinetic element at its top. The open shapes invite public interaction and viewing from multiple angles. The artist has named seven sculptures for Native American Indian tribes: Mohican, Sioux, Shoshone, Miwok, Navajo, Catawba, and Iroquois.
Iroquois was acquired by the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art) in 2007 with the support of art patron and humanitarian David N. Pincus, on the occasion of his eightieth birthday.