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Artsolutely Awesome North Philly, Yeah!
- by Ola O. Solanke, Executive Director, The Arts Garage
The newly completed mural that adorned the East wing wall of The Arts Garage – at the corner of 15th and Parrish Streets, is slated for dedication on May 31, 2008. FORTITUDE, fondly named “ArtsolutelyAwesome North Philly, Yeah!” covers a 114’ x 28’ spread with brilliant colors, strokes, and sightings of historic figures. Among them are civil right leader Leon H. Sullivan, nineteenth century sculptor Meta Vaux Fuller, a Philadelphia native and pioneer of Afrocentric arts and culture, and iconic music legends John Coltrane and opera singer, Pavarotti. Others are Emilie Zeckwer, Nadia Chilkovsky, Pueto Rican bomba plena musicians, fruits, a head of corn and other life’s sustenance. An embossed replica of the Liberty Bell, a dancer from Freedom Theater, and characters that point to people, places and events that are a part of the Philadelphia story are among the symbolic metaphors captured in the painting. Of all the symbolisms, the rooster in a vat of fire continues to draw local, national and international wonders. Notwithstanding other explanations that have been offered, this firebird is not your ordinary chicken. Its strength is derived from the surrounding earth, wind and fire. The firebird is resilience with a staying power (FORTITUDE) to transform into an indomitable creature.
ArtsolutelyAwesome North Philly, Yeah!, is a tribute to the arts of Philadelphia and the freedom /civil rights struggle of the community, says muralist, Marcus Akinlana. It uniquely captures the art of storytelling as seen through the eyes of the dynamic- trio – W.O.N. Mural Society, the Mural Arts Program and The Arts Garage. The bas relief sculptures integrated into the mural is created in an intensive technical workshop with the Diego Rivera Mural Academy students and instructors led by Akinlana. Using the sing song title of the mural as inspiration, an audio sound track is currently being developed for the wall. First of its kind in Philadelphia, there will be a master audio control box with outdoor speakers so the visitors can approach the wall, press a button and listen to a dynamic narrative with music and sound affects that further elucidate the iconography of this surreal mural. There is also the contribution of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PENNHORT), which arrived on the scene to manicure the 15,000 square foot of vacant ground overlooking the mural.
Clearly, the mural has become a part of the neighborhood “Quality of Life” asset for Francisville, and a Phiadelphia Ambassador. No sooner had the artist made his last stroke than ArtsolutelyAwesome North Philly, Yeah! gained international acclaim. The $90,000 mural, is one of two (including “The Great Migration” in Chicago) from artist Marcus Akinlana that were included in an international running exhibit (January 23 - March 5, 2008) entitled “Celebrate! Commemorate! Communicate! African American Murals” at the US Embassy in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. The show features 16 murals from across the United States.
Muralist Marcus Akinlana’s work speaks for itself. Philadelphia is fortunate to have an artist of Marcus stature commit to doing work here. The New Orleans artist is internationally renowned; here at home, his work can be found at the Philadelphia International Airport, Denver International Airport, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, and the Aurora Municipal Center in Colorado, to name a few. Seemingly, the Mural Arts Program is teaching Philadelphia and the world that arts come in all pedigree and the most important is to TEACH. As for The Arts Garage, we share the belief that the ART OF STORYTELLING was here before us, it will be here after us, and the best I/you can do is to serve it properly in our lifetime.
The Arts Garage, and the collaboration found in its channel partners is building up to what tourists want to see. As the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation works to market Philadelphia as a destination point, here is yet another mural that will allow local Philadelphians to marvel, and draw tourist from all over. While some may possess a born talent or intuitive sense of the work of art, someone without a natural or innate intuition want to learn from you. Come to The Arts Garage at the 1500 block of Parrish Street to see and hear the audio narrative of the mural.
Join us for the dedication ceremony at 4:00 p.m. on May 31, 2008 at the east wing of The Arts Garage – located at 1500 Parrish Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Philadelphia Mayor, Michael Nutter is the keynote speaker for the event. Come and enjoy good food, cocktails throughout the afternoon, take in some outdoor entertainments, and some history, and simply come to know this budding multimedia performance venue.
