The trouble with reviewing murals is that they don’t exist in the same context as gallery exhibited art. Though, the fact that they escape the same scrutiny seems odd since they are seen by more people and have more impact than the art hidden away in galleries. Also, having such a high profile, they are, on some level, taken to represent the art of Philadelphia generally, which is deceiving.
Looking at most of the images created, they seem to have less to do with a timeless quality associated with art and more with the topical nature of living in Philadelphia. This is fair enough, but with most of these 1800 works being representational, I ask what is their relationship to other contemporary art in the city? And what of their relationship to the architecture and the look of the city as a whole? What defines these images? Is it the community nature of the work where communities actually decide what images they want to grace the sides of their buildings or is it the political nature of this kind of endeavor?
Two of the most impressive murals produced by Mural Arts Project were created by Meg Saligman, a very talented painter. Saligman has a BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and has NEA funding to produce a massive new piece in New Orleans. Her mural "Common Threads" at Broad & Spring Garden is one of the largest murals on the east coast and sits well on the gothic structure underneath. It makes excellent use of trompe l’oeil effects in the painted windows and it’s content projects a thoroughly contemporary attitude making strong use of figuration and illustrative/photographic look. "Philadelphia Muses" (13th & Locust) is also striking. Completed in October 1999, "Philadelphia Muses" has a similar 18th century feel, mixing cross cultural elements and referencing historic attire on characters from the city’s contemporary cultural community.
Obviously, Community Arts has a high profile and is flourishing with the city’s stamp of approval. It’s unfortunate however, that more non-representational painters or non-mural artists aren’t utilized. Perhaps it time that the MPA take on another direction and include more dynamic contemporary art to add to their successful and rewarding community arts remit. Tom Judd, a well known painter, produced a smaller scale mural (North 2nd Street) for the visual fringe last year which was a great improvement on the one underneath. The lesson might be that some of these large paintings need to be installation art and of a temporary nature creating a revolving outdoor exhibition space in Philadelphia.
James Rosenthal
Artists interested in proposing a mural for Philadelphia should write to:
Jane
Golden, Mural Arts Program, 1515 Arch Street, 10th floor, Philadelphia,
PA 1910