The Philadelphia Art Museum is organizing a 2026 exhibition titled “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,” centered on the famous Rocky Balboa statue that sits atop the museum's steps. Curated by Paul Farber, co-founder of Monument Lab, the show will feature over 150 works by more than 50 artists, spanning 2,000 years of artifacts, and explore the role of monuments in fine art, sports, and popular culture. The exhibition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original Rocky film and includes works by Keith Haring, Rashid Johnson, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol, among others.
The exhibition matters because it tackles the complex cultural and political questions surrounding public monuments at a time when such debates are highly charged. By focusing on a beloved but unofficial landmark, the show highlights how monuments can be sites of belonging and conflict, and it aims to draw millions of visitors who already flock to the Rocky statue. The exhibition also parallels a Los Angeles show on Confederate memorials, underscoring a broader national conversation about how societies commemorate history.