MURALS: EMBLEMS OF PHILADELPHIA’S CHARACTER

Words Noor Abbasi

Also known as the “city of brotherly love” and and the “city of eighborhoods”, the “Mural Capital of the World” is one of Philadelphia’s many faces. And well earned is this status; Philadelphia houses more than 3,000 murals - more than any other city in the world. Canvases deemed oldschool, Philadelphia’s artistically inspired have taken to the streets to express themselves. This street art ranges from depictions of Lil Nas X to Black LIves Matter protests to ature. Colorful and rich in composition, they illuminate the streets of the streets of Philly. Beyond the aesthetic value that murals have added, they serve as a source of unity and empowerment to the city’s residents. In a city where social division is rife, has the paint on Philly’s walls become its glue?

The production process for murals in Philadelphia is organized, run by the Mural Arts Program and led by a team of Philadelphia artists. The collaborative aspect of this art form allows members of different communities within Philly to meet, facilitating a dialogue between otherwise disparate groups. Perhaps, through the shared love of art and the city, connection can be formed between these communities. The end product: art that’s all the more interesting for its melange of cultural styles, and social integration.

An example of this is Colorful Legacy culminated by Wills “Nomo” Humphrey and Keir Johnston. The mural is intended to raise awareness about the struggles faced by men of color and to inspire resiliency. It brings together Asian, Black and Hispanic men in their collective struggles, as well as garnering understanding from the wider community.

As well as giving recognition to minorities, these murals also frequently serve as love letters to standout members of the wider Philadelphia community. For example, artists have depicted Edmund Bacon, the city planner who was responsible for Love park, worked to protect the city’s structural heritage and was an instrumental member of Philadelphia’s political reform movement. Artists have also saluted Philadelphia’s very own pioneers of art, with murals also dedicated to Alain LeRoy Locke - the “Father of the Harlem Renaissance” art movement. Equally powerful is murals’ ability to level the playing field in the art world. Philadelphia is most definitely a capital for the arts, but is the perceived pretension around artists such as Matisse and Modigliani a deterrent for the majority to engage in Philly’s art scene? The use of murals helps to include those who have previously been left behind in the fine arts scene. The medium allows for all to interact, observe and comment on art. There’s no place for social hierarchy when the art is displayed on Philly’s streets. Furthermore, the accessibility of the production process helps to bring hidden talent among Philadelphia’s youth to the limelight.

As murals increasingly occupy Philly’s streets, they serve to obstruct the gentrification that is taking place in the city. Developers seek to remodel Philadelphia through upgrading housing stock and properties, and have generated a cultural displacement. The murals in Philadelphia allow locals to stand their ground by visually stamping their authority. It symbolizes how Philadelphia’s spirit can not be torn down by real estate. Gentrification serves to change and “refine” the character of a city. Philadelphia’s murals have rendered it so vibrant that it will not submit to this refinement. Gifting street corners with idiosyncrasies, artists have claimed the city as their own, sending the message that they will not hand over Philadelphia without a fight.