It’s not uncommon for artists to abandon works in frustration, but the anonymous folk artist dubbed the Philadelphia Wireman took the tradition to a different plane. In the late 1970s, more than 1,000 distinctive small-scale sculptures were found discarded in a South Philadelphia alley. The creator of the pieces—consisting of different gauges of wire tightly wrapping such everyday objects as batteries, eyeglasses, and food packages—was never identified. In “Things That Do,” a selection of these sculptures is placed alongside traditional West African “power objects,” including talismanic statuettes that often incorporate shells and bones. The juxtaposition suggests possible historical antecedents for the Wireman’s enigmatic work. At Fleisher/Ollman Gallery, 1616 Walnut, Ste. 100, Philadelphia, (215) 545-7562. Through Dec. 10. Prices range from $2,200 to $9,000.
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