Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell

"In June 1984, Jane Golden, a young muralist from Margate, New Jersey, headed up a project that was originally planned as a six-week youth program in the fledgling Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network. This small exercise in fighting graffiti grew into the most vibrant public art project in the United States. Led by Golden and dozens of artists, neighborhood residents, and volunteers, the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has adorned the city with over two thousand murals. In the process, this vibrant art, painted mostly on city walls, helped to change the look of the city, creating an enduring legacy in all of the neighborhoods in which the murals were added." In this illustrated chronicle of the Mural Arts Program, you will see the murals in all of their beauty and learn about their inspiring legacies in neighborhoods throughout the city. Go behind the scenes to find out how murals are made and why the process is as much an art of diplomacy and consensus building as paint and perspective. Discover through pictures and text how murals give communities a new way to define themselves, not in terms of the streets and intersections that border them, but in terms of the people who came together to create something of dramatic beauty.

Library Journal

In an effort to curb the rising tide of graffiti and gang-related tagging, former mayor Wilson Goode created the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network in 1984 to create public art of enduring value while engaging the city's youth in meaningful work. Partnering with individual communities, graffiti artists cleaned and prepared walls for the murals and then, under the guidance of professional artists, created more than 2000 works of art (mosaics, panel paintings, and sculpture as well as traditional murals). The multicultural subject matter includes everything from real and imaginary landscapes to portraits of local citizens. The program continues (but under a different name, the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program) and is so successful that there are waiting lists for artists wishing to participate and sites targeted for beautification. In addition to the 100 or so full-color illustrations, look to this book for step-by-step instructions on how to execute an outdoor mural and interviews with several key artists. As the authors state, "turning wall writers into wall artists" has been the single most important aspect of this project, and this book documents the city's efforts beautifully. Highly recommended, especially for libraries in urban areas and for those with significant art holdings.-Margarete Gross, Chicago P.L. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.