As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a Cornell University professor’s public art installation in Philadelphia is asking visitors a simple but deeply personal question: What does freedom mean to you?
“Let Freedom Ring,” created by Cornell Department of Art Chair Paul RamÃrez Jonas, opened June 4 at Philadelphia’s Cherry Street Pier as part of the city’s commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The interactive installation encourages visitors to physically complete a familiar patriotic melody while reflecting on their own ideas of freedom.
The centerpiece of the installation is a bell tower featuring 32 bronze bells arranged in a spiral around a steel structure. Together, the bells play “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee)” — stopping just short of the final note. Visitors complete the song by pulling a lever that rings a 600-pound bronze bell anchored at the base of the structure.
The artwork also invites participants to create rubbings from inscriptions engraved on the large bell, prompting them to consider what they want to be free to do or what they want to be free from.
RamÃrez Jonas originally designed the installation for a 2023 exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., focused on reimagining public monuments. Now located less than a mile from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the piece takes on added significance as Philadelphia prepares to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial.
The artist said the work intentionally leaves both the melody and the concept of freedom unfinished, requiring public participation to complete the experience. He hopes the installation encourages thoughtful conversations about freedom at a time when many Americans hold sharply different views about what the concept means.
The installation also draws inspiration from civil rights history. Its rendition of “America” references Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and opera singer Marian Anderson’s famous 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial, where she altered the song’s lyrics to emphasize collective freedom.
“Let Freedom Ring” will remain on display at Cherry Street Pier through Sept. 27 as part of Philadelphia’s ongoing celebrations leading up to the nation’s 250th birthday.
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