Liberty Arm & Torch
As visitors enter Hamilton Hall, a stunning space crowned by a soaring dome, they encounter a life-sized, 40-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty's Arm and Torch. In true Please Touch Museum fashion, this sculpture is created out of toys, games and other 'found objects' gathered and assembled by local artist Leo Sewell.
The subject matter holds a special place in Memorial Hall's history: The original Statue of Liberty Arm and Torch was displayed at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition as part of a fundraising effort to help fund the pedestal that now holds the full statue in New York Harbor.
The sculpture is a great way to speak to your child about history and engage in intergenerational memory sharing. Can you spot some of these objects in the sculpture? Which ones do you have at home?
- Sit 'N' Spin
- Baseball bat
- Rocky Balboa action figure
- Board Games
- Santa Claus figure
- License Plates
About the Artist
Leo Sewell is no stranger to Please Touch Museum. He is the creator of "Artie," the popular life-sized elephant sculpted from hundreds of discarded playthings, including a youth football helmet, a 1960s era Batmobile, Smurfs, a Spider-Man action figure, and a red Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot (sans his blue opponent).
Sewell, who says he "grew up near a dump," has played with junk for over 40 years, and has developed his own assemblage technique. His works are collected by corporations, museums, and individuals throughout the world. Leo continues to cull the refuse of Philadelphia out of which he fashions pieces of all sizes, from a life-sized housecat to a 24-foot stegosaurus.
His sculptures have appeared on Captain Noah and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, and are a favorite at Ripley's Believe It or Not Museums in 23 cities worldwide. For more details on his work, visit www.leosewell.net.