Presented by The Association for Public Art at Cherry Street Pier

Paul Ramírez Jonas’ monumental artwork plays the song “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” in its entirety—all but the final note. Participants must pull a lever to ring the last note on a 600-pound bell at the base of the sculpture to complete the song, a metaphor for how we can work together as a society to fulfill the unfinished promises of our nation’s founding. This artwork promotes civic engagement by providing a public site to speak, listen, and learn from one another, and to bring people together to imagine a more inclusive future that embraces the complexities of our past.

Two phrases etched on the bell—“I want to be free from _____” and “I want to be free to _____”– offer an intimate connection to the themes of the work. The Association for Public Art will be collecting and displaying finished phrases from participants as a way to amplify voices and share experiences.

Let Freedom Ring was originally commissioned by Monument Lab for its Beyond Granite exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in 2023. Support for Let Freedom Ring is provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.

Visitor Information

September 11-27, 2026

Stop by anytime between 2pm–8pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to interact with the installation.
30 mins recommended.

Venue

Cherry Street Pier

121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

About the Artist

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.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible outdoor venue.

Content Considerations

This event is appropriate for all ages and can include visitor interaction.

Health & Safety

Masks are optional, vaccines are not required. More information about FringeArts COVID policies can be found here.