BENSALEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Parx Casino® is proud to welcome a sculpture by the world-renowned American artist, Jeff Koons. Today, Koons’s striking sculpture Liberty Bell, based on the iconic American object, has found its home at Pennsylvania’s #1 casino.
Jeff Koons’s sculpture Liberty Bell took 8 years to complete. The development and execution consisted of exclusive after-hours access to the original Liberty Bell, located in Center City Philadelphia. Structured-light scans were used to gather information, exact dimensions and extreme detail in order to create this perfect replica of one of the nation’s greatest treasures. Classic materials such as bronze, wood, wrought iron, and cast iron were used in making Koons’s work like the original in the 1700’s.
This remarkable piece of art is a private purchase from the owners of Parx Casino® and will be on display 24 hours a day in the casino front entrance. This is the latest addition to the various collection of art on display property wide. The casino welcomed another internationally acclaimed sculpture in August 2012, HORSE AT WATER, by Britain’s most famous equestrian sculptor, Nic Fiddian-Green. The 34-foot high bronze masterpiece sits at the main entrance to the property welcoming guests daily.
Jeff Koons is a Pennsylvania native who is an internationally recognized contemporary artist. Koons is widely known for his iconic sculptures, such as Rabbit and Balloon Dog, as well as his monumental flower works Puppy and Split-Rocker. Working with everyday objects, his work revolves around themes of self-acceptance and transcendence. Since his first solo exhibition in 1980, Koons’s work has been shown in major galleries and institutions throughout the world. His work was the subject of a major 2014/15 exhibition, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, that was organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art and traveled to the Centre Pompidou Paris and the Guggenheim Bilbao.
“We are thrilled to have Jeff Koons’s sculpture Liberty Bell at Parx for our guests to enjoy,” says Paul Greco, General Manager of Parx Casino®. “This sentimental piece of art illustrates our deep rooted American history right here in our Philadelphia region. The debut of Koons’s masterpiece leads us into a year of new addition and expansion at Parx Casino®.
In May 2017, Parx Casino® announced a $50 million expansion project to open winter 2017/2018. The new expansion will add 45,000 square feet of space totaling the property footprint to 375,000 square feet. It will feature the new Liberty Bell Gastropub, Lombardi’s Pizzeria, an exclusive poker room and the crown jewel of the project, a multipurpose state-of-the-art live entertainment venue, appropriately named Xcite Center.
For more information on Parx Casino® and Jeff Koons’s Liberty Bell, please contact Carrie Nork Minelli 215-801-9389, cnorkminelli@parxcasino.com.
ABOUT PARX CASINO®
Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. Parx Casino® is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95 exit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351 (westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) onto Street Road in Bensalem. Parx features over 200,000 square feet of gaming; over 3,400 slot machines and 133 live table games; over 80 poker tables; live racing & simulcast action; Parxgrill, an upscale signature restaurant; Foodies quick service dining; Chickie's & Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar; 360 bar and live music venue; Jax sports bar; Circle Bar; Bambu Noodle House; Earl of Sandwich®; Xlounge, ultramodern luxury lounge and complimentary parking for over 5,000 cars. For more information on Parx Casino®, visit www.parxcasino.com.
