“Art saves lives”

Walk the streets of Philadelphia for a day and you can’t help but notice the large colorful murals that dot the city. These are not random acts of kindness for our viewing pleasure. The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest public art program in the country. The program was started in 1984 as the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, part of the effort to eradicate the graffiti crisis plaguing the city. From the website:

“Jane Golden (founder) quickly befriended the graffiti writers and was impressed by their raw artistic talent and their self-taught knowledge of art history. She . . . began to provide opportunities for them to channel their creative talent into mural-making. Mural painting also provided a support structure for these young men and women to refine their artistic skills, empowering them to take an active role in beautifying their own neighborhoods.”

Since it began, the program has created 3000 murals in the city. Each one represents the story of community members in the neighborhood it resides in. There is a social mission behind the organization which is part of what makes each mural special. For example:

“The Mural Arts Program has also become a national leader in arts in criminal and restorative justice, currently offering educational programs in local prisons and rehabilitation centers using the restorative power of art to break the cycle of crime and violence in communities.” There are also free educational programs to get kids involved in designing and creating murals.

Photographing art is hard. My goal was to capture how these amazing murals integrate seamlessly in the city landscape. Graffiti still exists in the city, and I captured a bit of that as well.

Comments, as always, appreciated.



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