When I spent a year on the University of Pennsylvania campus, in 1987-88 (upcoming postcard series, stay tuned!), the European exchange student I was then was impressed by the Philadelphia skyline, as seen from the Museum steps made famous by the Rocky movies…
[Version française de cet article ici]
Philadelphia, 1987Waiting in line to get last minute $5 tikcets for the Philadelphia Philarmonic Orchestra
… or, from the 25th floor of the high rise building I was living in, as it was beautifully lit by the setting sun.
Philadelphia, 1987
The skyline was changing before my eyes: Philadelphia’s first iconic skyscraper, “One Liberty Place”, was being finished. Its 61 storeys and 945 feet dominated the entire city.
Philadelphia, 1987
Tempo Latino 2017 - 03
It was 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 wasn’t a particularly attractive city, it harbored a gem: its Philharmonic Orchestra, then directed by Ricardo Muti. Those motivated enough to arrive early and queue up could attend amazing concerts for just $2, from the top-most gallery, from which we had great views of the orchestra...
Philadelphia, 1987Philadelphia Philarmonic orchestra directed by Ricardo Muti
... and of the whole theater.
Philadelphia, 1987Philadelphia Philarmonic orchestra directed by Ricardo Muti
Outside, a more colorful type of music continued…
Philadelphia, 1987
… reminding us that the centers of American cities were typically, after sundown, mostly left to the poorer among the population.
Philadelphia, 1987
My campus was a small island of indecent wealth entrenched in the very poor neighborhood of West Philadelphia. In just a few steps, we could move from ostentatious success to misery…
West Philadelphia, 1987
… and signs of violence were visible at almost every street corner.
This environment gave me the opportunity to make my first street portrait:
In spite of the optimistic, voluntarist mural paintings…
West Philadelphia, 1987
… many places looked and felt like they belonged in the third world.
West Philadelphia, 1987
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)”
West Philadelphia, 1987
More to come, stay tuned!
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