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PHILADELPHIA - The Rocky statue is on the move, and the city is buzzing about what comes next for this iconic symbol.
What we know:
The Philadelphia Art Commission approved a plan to move the Rocky statue from the bottom of the Art Museum steps to the top in the fall. The statue currently at the top will be sent to Sylvester Stallone, the actor who played Rocky.
Valerie Gay, chief cultural officer for the city, said, "I feel relieved, I am happy, I am excited and I feel like I need to go home and take a nap because we have a lot of work to do." Gay and her team have been working with the commission for a while to get this approval.
The move is meant to create new opportunities for people to experience art in Philadelphia. "The public will decide ultimately how successful this is, but what we have the opportunity now with this move is to create different stories to create different opportunities for people to tell their story to enliven in the art that is all around us that most people don’t see," said Gay.
Commissioners hope the change will also bring more attention to the world-renowned art inside the museum, not just the statue outside.
The other side:
Not everyone is happy about the move. James Resnick, who is known for running 1,000 laps at the steps in 40 hours, said, "I would say leave it where it is because it represents the iconic mess... I’m much more comfortable there on the bottom because it keeps you grounded and keeps you humble."
Some visitors are excited about the change. Tramar Roberts from North Philly said, "I think that it’s excellent and it’s going to be some actual art here and I think people will come and still take pictures with it and its progress."
Matthew Kenyatta, an art commissioner, said, "Philadelphia is a place of firsts and people take chances here all the time and I feel like this is one of those moments where the cities is taking a chance on this and hopefully it pays off and we’ll see."
The statue has become a global symbol and a staple of Philadelphia, drawing visitors from around the world. Alberto Regalado, visiting from California, said, "For us, it’s a cultural icon, the idea of, it’s not how many times you get knocked down it’s how many times you get back up…"
Many believe the move could help people see more of the art that surrounds the museum, not just the famous steps.
Timeline:
The commission voted in favor of the move on Wednesday, with plans to relocate the statue in the fall. The process has involved months of discussion and debate among city officials, art commissioners and the public.
What we don't know:
The exact date for the move has not been set, and it remains to be seen how the public will react once the statue is relocated.
The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Art Commission and interviews at the Art Museum.