Labyrinth

Sam Durant addressed the quagmire of criminal justice by placing a 40 x 40 foot maze made of chain link fencing in Thomas Paine Plaza, across the street from Philadelphia’s City Hall. The public interacted with the maze by hanging personal items on the structure, using it as a platform to address issues surrounding mass incarceration. The maze functioned as a double metaphor, symbolizing not only the struggle of criminals caught in the Department of Corrections but how, as a society, we are all navigating the labyrinth of mass incarceration.

This project was part of Open Source, a citywide exhibition that brought 14 extraordinary artists from around the world to Philadelphia. They worked with Mural Arts Philadelphia and guest curator Pedro Alonzo to create a new series of public artworks that explore and illuminate Philadelphia’s diverse urban identity.

Location Note: Temporary project no longer on view at this location.