PHILADELPHIA – The Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy’s Percent for Art Program and the Department of Records are pleased to announce a new public art commission by Philadelphia-based artist Talia Greene at the new City Archives facility at 456 North 5th Street.
Using source material and imagery found in and inspired by the Archives, Greene will create an indoor site-specific and interactive mural. The mural will celebrate figures from Philadelphia’s abolitionist movement and highlight troubling aspects of our city’s history. An interactive app will enable visitors to delve deeper into these topics. “My goal for this project is two-fold: to highlight ignored aspects of our city’s history using maps and records from the Archives, and to convey the experience of discovery which visitors encounter at the Archives,” states Greene.
The mural’s visual motifs are inspired by historical maps found in the Archives. Hand-painted sections, which emphasize the beauty and craftsmanship of the historic maps, will be juxtaposed with the visualization of discriminatory practices engendered by redlining mapping policies. A muted, de-saturated palette provides a backdrop to the saturated colors of the redlining maps. For images, contact Jacque Liu at jacque.liu@phila.gov.
In addition to the mural, Greene will create an augmented reality app designed specifically for this commission. Using either an iPad provided by the site, or their own device, visitors can learn more about figures from Philadelphia’s abolitionist movement, as well as the history and impact of red-lining practices in Philadelphia and beyond. For example, the commission includes Octavius Catto’s death certificate, and hovering over a section will reveal further information about his murder. Hovering over another section may provide content about his activism and his impact on the abolitionist movement. Greene will engage local historians and academics to develop the app and its narrative content. Greene states that, “While the process of deciphering content beneath layers in the mural is an interactive process, the app adds depth and content to that interactivity.”
Talia Greene lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has created site-specific wallpaper installations at Morris-Jumel Mansion, New York City; the American University Museum, Washington DC; the Print Center, Philadelphia; and Glen Foerd Historic Mansion. Her work is widely exhibited, including the Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, MD; the Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC; and Wave Hill, Bronx, NY. She has received grants from the Independence Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Center for Emerging Visual Artists. She received her Bachelors of Art from Wesleyan University and her Masters of Fine Art from Mills College. Greene teaches at the University of the Arts, and is a member of the artist-collective, Grizzly Grizzly.
This Percent for Art opportunity was announced nationally to artists and artist teams as an open Call to Artists in May 2017. Of 103 applicants, five finalists were selected to present proposals. The selection panel included Teresa Jaynes, Artist, Curator, and Consultant; John Phillips, Artist; and Kate Cuffari, Associate Conservator of Decorative Arts and Sculpture Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Advisory Panel included representatives from: The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, the Department of Records, and the Department of Public Property. The selection panel unanimously selected Greene’s proposal.
This commission is part of the relocation of the City Archives and Records Storage Center (The Archives), currently at 3101 Market Street. In early 2018, these two operations will relocate to 456 North 5th Street. The Archives serve as the permanent repository for the City’s extensive collection of local historical and cultural records, which uniquely document Philadelphia’s history through objects and documents such as rare maps, photographs, architectural plans, and tax records. Treasures include the original 1701 William Penn City of Philadelphia Charter; the first volume of City Council Minutes from 1704; original signatures of Benjamin Franklin; and a variety of documents, maps, and images dating from the 18th century that illustrate the lives of important local figures such as Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, Stephen Girard, and many others. The Archives are open to the public and visited by researchers, genealogists, academics, families, and school groups.
About the Percent for Art Program
The Percent for Art Program of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy commissions exceptional and enduring works of site-specific public art by renowned and emerging artists for City buildings and public spaces. Philadelphia’s public art collection is recognized as the largest and most remarkable in the world. Since 1959, more than 300 works of art have been commissioned through the City of Philadelphia’s Percent for Art Ordinance. For more information about the Percent for Art Program, visit: creativephl.org/percentforart.
About City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy supports and promote arts, culture and the creative industries; develops partnerships that ensure culture and creativity are essential components of Philadelphia’s community revitalization, education, and economic development strategies; and links Philadelphians to cultural resources and opportunities. For more information about the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.