The Art of 'Rocky'

Rocky is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a variety of of events.

Besides enjoying the movie's rerelease next month, folks will be able to purchase collectibles like a popcorn bucket depicting Rocky Balboa climbing the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Speaking of the museum, one of their recent exhibits was inspired by Rocky. Rising Up offered work made from antiquity to the present, spotlighting stories about Philadelphia's boxing legends,  immigrant neighborhoods, and the fight for the future of public spaces. And on November 13, nearly 45 years after its original unveiling in 1982, the Rocky statue is being rededicated at its new permanent installation site at the top of the art museum steps. 

This will be followed by a temporary installation. At the end of November--dates are still tentative--for one week only, the statue will sport a one-of-a-kind knitted boxing ensemble, created by over 60 local knitters and textile artists.

The project will feature boxing gloves, socks and shorts, as well as a knitted robe incorporating replicas of all 108 international flags represented along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 

And out today is The Fine Art of Rocky: An Artistic Tribute from Screen to Canvas. It is published by Insight-Editions, with a foreword by Sylvester Stallone.

A press release calls it part art book and part retrospective, adding that fans are invited to revisit the iconic franchise through official MGM/Amazon Rocky artist (and Stallone buddy) John Rivoli's collection of original paintings and posters showing the protagonist in a whole new light.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Look at The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail was established over a century ago. One admirer is   Mills Kelly , author of  A Hikers History of the Appalachian-Trail .  His new book is full of photos, starting in 1900, before the idea even came about. A group of men in women pose on the summit of Blackrock Summit in Virginia. With straw hats, neckties and long dresses, they look like they are attending a garden party. Another early photograph--circa 1940--depicts square dancing. This was a popular activity at trail shelters, and pre-planned by local trail clubs. Their newsletters even listed the songs to be played. While the music was often recorded, it wasn't unusual for someone to bring along a fiddle. One of the best pictures has a bird on top of a hiker's boot: both creatures are not fazed.  It was probably more uncomfortable to be walking in the street, even if traffic was light (as in an image from 1977). Yet for decades, much of the trail was on a road . . . a far cry ...
Read more