Last week’s discussion about public art reminded me of a public art project by Cai Guo-Qiang that I visited with my friends 2 years ago called “Fireflies.” The project invited the public to ride customized peddle vehicles adorned with handcrafted Chinese lanterns for free. The rides took place along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on select nights during the fall. The lanterns featured motifs from Cai’s childhood, including pandas, airplanes, aliens, bananas, and stars. I remember really enjoying the ride, both because of the beautiful lanterns and getting to experience Philly at a slower pace from the unique perspective of a peddle vehicle.
