Let Freedom Ring

Explore Let Freedom Ring Events

Let Freedom Ring is a monumental sculpture by Paul Ramírez Jonas, presented by the Association for Public Art at Cherry Street Pier in Philadelphia and coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This interactive bell tower plays the song “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee)” in its entirety except for the final note. Passersby are invited to complete the unfinished song by playing the final note on a 600-pound look-alike Liberty Bell, prompting them to reflect on for what and for whom they ring this bell of freedom.

Throughout its long life, the Liberty Bell has been adopted as a symbol for social justice movements, from abolition to women’s suffrage to the Civil Rights Movement. Let Freedom Ring is not a simple replica or representation of the bell, but a powerful reimagination and reactivation of our nation’s founding ideals. Ramírez Jonas offers a vision of a future where the bell of freedom rings for everyone, not just a select few – and his work of public art offers a physical platform on which to make this metaphor a reality.

PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

All events are FREE and OPEN to the public at Cherry Street Pier unless otherwise noted. Registration is required for some events, which are rain or shine unless otherwise noted.

Originally commissioned by Monument Lab in August 2023 for the Beyond Granite exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC, Let Freedom Ring is presented by the Association for Public Art in partnership with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.

Our program partners include PA Youth Vote, the National Constitution Center, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Play On Philly, the Marian Anderson Historical Society, and Monument Lab.

ABOUT PAUL RAMÍREZ JONAS

Paul Ramírez Jonas was born in Pomona, California in 1965 and raised in Honduras. Educated at Brown University (BA, 1987) and Rhode Island School of Design (MFA, 1989). Over the past 30 years Paul Ramírez Jonas has sought to challenge the definitions of art and the public and to engineer active audience participation and exchange. He has been made public in galleries, institutions and urban spaces around the world. He is the Art Department Chair at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell.

Major support for Let Freedom Ring is provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Additional support provided by the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial