Mondo Cane

Race Street Pier
Philadelphia, PA
September 29 - October 31, 2025

Mondo Cane is a site-specific sculptural installation on Philadelphia’s Delaware River at the Race Street Pier. Challenging the conventions of public artworks, it is quasi-concealed within a designed void in the pier’s structure, framing a floating tire with an anthropomorphic hubcap bearing a worried grimace, cast adrift in the river, nearly submerged. “Mondo cane” is an Italian curse translating to “a dog’s world,” inferring a period of struggle or difficulty. Exploring pathos, callousness, and spectacle, the installation challenges the viewer’s response to anxiety in a time of reactionary change and increasing uncertainty.  

This project was made possible by the generous support of The Delaware Riverfront Corporation, The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Joseph Robert Foundation.

Curated by Libby Rosa.

Mondo Cane, Cold-cast urethane, tire, glass eyes, UV prints, aluminum, 2025