Peace is Gold, and the Song I Wish to Hear

Peace is Gold, and the Song I Wish to Hear by artist James Burns is located at 32nd and French streets in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is part of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Porch Light Department that often collaborates with provider sites, organizational services addressing mental health, to uplift their communities. Mural Arts Porch Light project leaders commit to working with provider sites for two years, offering several months worth of art activities and the completion of two community murals in collaboration with the organizations. Horizon House was the partner for this project. Horizon House is a residential facility for men recovering from substance use, who also reflect on modeling positive masculinity.

This mural is a reflection of the community at Horizon House Susquehanna Park, a residential facility for men recovering from substance use in North Philadelphia. It highlights the voice of these men and expresses a variety of their interests, hopes, and aspirations. Among some of the ideas presented, it describes communal support in recovery, resilience, diversity, and a desire for growth and transformation.

The mural depicts a pair of hands extending from the left side of the wall, from which weaving plants emerge. The design transitions to a collage of people and objects, calling particular attention to hand gestures and facial expressions. The image is bustling and energetic, with many hidden details that emerge after spending time with the work: a tattoo reading “North Philly” runs across a man’s forearms, another hand plays a string instrument, and a memento mori subtly rests on top of the cream background.

Burns began engagement with residents at Horizon House before the pandemic, offering regular art making activities. When the pandemic hit, the project was put on hold because of strict quarantine restrictions. During 2022, Burns renewed engagement with Horizon House to complete the mural. Based off his original engagement, he created a few options for a mural design and sought feedback from the new residents (no one from the original group was at Horizon House any longer). He facilitated several dialogue sessions to get feedback until everyone was happy with the mural design. The group held three to four paint days a week for three months during which residents helped paint the mural. In addition, one broader community paint day was held for the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.