Philadelphia Museum of Art Now Includes Rocky Balboa Statue in Official Exhibition

Apr 26, 2026, 12:09

Introduction

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition called 'Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments.' This event marks a significant change in how the museum officially views the bronze statue of the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa.

Main Body

Curated by Paul Farber, the exhibition explores how a movie character became a cultural symbol by placing the statue within the context of art history and city identity. Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director, emphasized that the display looks at boxing images from the last 2,000 years to show how humans consistently respond to physical and emotional struggles. In the past, the museum had a difficult relationship with the statue. After the 'Rocky' movies were filmed, the institution actually tried to have the figure removed. Although the statue was moved to South Philadelphia and later returned to the museum steps in 2006, the museum did not officially support it because the city owns the land. However, data from the Philadelphia Visitor Center shows that the site attracts about 4 million visitors every year, which is a similar number to those who visit the Liberty Bell. The exhibition is divided into global and local themes. One section connects the character to the worldwide interest in boxing during the 1970s, featuring art by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. Another section focuses on the local influence of Joe Frazier, who partly inspired the character. Furthermore, visitors from countries such as France, Poland, and India have claimed that the statue is a source of inspiration and a main reason for visiting the city, proving that the figure represents strength and endurance for people worldwide.

Conclusion

When the exhibition ends in August, the interior statue will be permanently placed at the top of the museum steps. Meanwhile, a statue of Joe Frazier will take the current place of the Balboa figure, which is still on loan from Sylvester Stallone.

Vocabulary Learning

emphasize (v.)

stress / to show that something is very important強調；著重

Example:The teacher wanted to emphasize the importance of checking your work before submission.

endurance (n.)

stamina / the ability to keep doing something difficult or painful for a long time忍耐力；持久力

Example:Running a marathon requires great physical and mental endurance.

institution (n.)

organization / a large and important organization, such as a university or museum機構；團體

Example:The university is a well-respected institution that has been around for over a century.

permanently (adv.)

forever / in a way that lasts for a very long time or forever永久地；長期地

Example:After many years of traveling, he decided to settle down permanently in Hong Kong.

significant (adj.)

important or noticeable顯著的；重要的

Example:The new policy led to a significant improvement in student performance.

Sentence Learning

Although the statue was moved to South Philadelphia and later returned to the museum steps in 2006, the museum did not officially support it because the city owns the land.

Contrast and Concession: 'Although' is used to introduce a contrast between the statue's physical return and the museum's lack of official recognition.對比與讓步: 「Although」（雖然）用於引導一個對比，指出儘管雕像已遷回博物館階梯，但館方因土地業權問題而未有正式承認其地位。

However, data from the Philadelphia Visitor Center shows that the site attracts about 4 million visitors every year, which is a similar number to those who visit the Liberty Bell.

Relative Clauses: 'Which' adds extra information about the total number of visitors, while 'who' defines the specific group of people.關係子句: 「Which」引導的子句為遊客人數提供了補充資訊，而「who」則界定了參觀自由鐘的特定人群。

After the 'Rocky' movies were filmed, the institution actually tried to have the figure removed.

Passive Voice and Causative Structure: 'Were filmed' uses the passive voice to focus on the action, while 'have the figure removed' shows the museum arranging for an action to be done by others.被動語態與使役結構: 「Were filmed」使用被動語態以強調動作本身，而「have the figure removed」則展示了博物館安排他人執行移除雕像的動作。

Furthermore, visitors from countries such as France, Poland, and India have claimed that the statue is a source of inspiration and a main reason for visiting the city, proving that the figure represents strength and endurance for people worldwide.

Present Participle for Result: The '-ing' phrase 'proving that...' is used to show a logical result or conclusion based on the previous statement.現在分詞表示結果: 以「-ing」形式開頭的短語「proving that...」用於表示基於前述事實所產生的邏輯結果或結論。

Louis Marchesano, the museum's deputy director, emphasized that the display looks at boxing images from the last 2,000 years to show how humans consistently respond to physical and emotional struggles.

Infinitive of Purpose: The phrase 'to show' explains the specific objective or reason for examining historical boxing images.不定式表示目的: 短語「to show」（為了展示）解釋了研究過去二千年拳擊圖像的具體目標或理由。