The Philadelphians
Forman Arts Initiative, Mural Arts and the Office of Immigrant Affairs present Nadia Hironaka & Matthew Suib’s The Philadelphians on view from May 7 – June 8, 2025
The Philadelphians is a public art projection and city-wide project celebrating the city’s vibrant immigrant communities, past and present. Created by Philadelphia-based artist duo Nadia Hironaka and Matthew Suib (Hironaka & Suib), this is the second annual project from Forman Arts Initiative (FAI) and Mural Arts Philadelphia’s (MAP) Public Works program, a residency program embedding artists within Philadelphia civic agencies. Presented in LOVE Park, The Philadelphians will be accompanied by a series of public programs, workshops, and panel discussions with support from Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The project’s centerpiece, a large-scale video projection, will wrap 360º around LOVE Park’s Visitor Center and will be on view from May 7 – June 8, 2025, with the projection beginning at 5 PM and ending at midnight daily.
“Immigrant stories and family history are a part of all our narratives. More importantly, they reflect who Philadelphians are today, how we continuously work in communities, civic life, and government to make our city better, and how our roots connect us to the rest of the world,” said artist duo Hironaka & Suib.
The Philadelphians is an expansive film project centering Philadelphia’s immigrant communities and their historic and present contributions to the City of Philadelphia. Following a yearlong research period of sourcing archival footage, conducting interviews and hosting craft workshops in partnership with community groups rooted within ethnic communities around the city, the culminating project combines archival and original footage on 16mm film and video with ten short film portraits of present-day Philadelphians. The resulting ten vignettes trace three centuries of immigrants to the region, from the earliest arrivals who helped shape both the city and nation to the most recent generations who continue to preserve and build upon that legacy.
“Public art projects like The Philadelphians bring communities together and highlight how we are more alike than we are different. They are a vehicle for joy, introspection, and love,” said Alain Joinville, Director of Strategic Communications and Programs for the Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs. “The Office of Immigrant Affairs thanks the Forman Arts Initiative, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and the many stakeholders in our city’s immigrant community who worked with artist Nadia and Matt to make this unique exhibition possible.”
In collaboration with the Office of Immigrant Affairs, Hironaka & Suib connected with everyday Philadelphians and local heroes around the city, filming at locations important to the participants and their identities. Family histories, connections to heritage, and the various ways cultural identities are expressed in Philadelphia are explored in detail and broad strokes, creating a collective portrait of the city to inspire the public to recognize their own connections to these narratives. Woven into the portrait films are archival film images of immigrant communities and original footage from a series of creative workshops, showing the hands of immigrants and second-generation Philadelphians making traditional and contemporary crafts. These hands are engaged in creative work that strengthens community connections and enriches the cultural fabric of Philadelphia.
“We’re honored to have partnered with the Office of Immigrant Affairs and artists Hironaka & Suib to bring visibility to the tremendous legacy of immigrant communities past and present who, along with enslaved Africans – quite literally built this city. Through this project, we’re reminded of what makes this city and nation so compelling and unique: the massive diversity of voices and lived experiences that have shaped it, while seeking greater freedom and the pursuit of happiness,” said Adjoa Jones de Almeida, Executive Director of FAI.
“The Philadelphians beautifully exemplifies how art can honor the diverse stories that shape our city’s identity,” said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “At Mural Arts, we believe in art’s ability to uplift voices, foster belonging, and spark civic pride across every neighborhood in Philadelphia. Hironaka & Suib bring a cinematic, deeply thoughtful lens to this work, illuminating the lived experiences of immigrant communities with nuance, care, and a deep respect for people’s journeys.”
Portrait participants include Philadelphians who are building up and sustaining their neighborhoods, communities, and city. They include a public servant, educator, pastor, chef, entrepreneur, community leaders and others working with the artists to shape the film through image and text pulled from interviews that touch on culture, heritage, history, as well as their individual and shared identity as Philadelphians.
The Philadelphians events:
The Philadelphians Launch
Wednesday, May 7, 7PM – 9PM
Location: Love Park Visitor Center
Tethered: Immigrant Narratives on Screen
Friday, May 16, 2025
Location: Love Park Visitor Center
Immigrant Heritage Month Kick-Off Event and The Philadelphians Closing
Friday, June 6, 6 PM – 9 PM
Love Park Visitor Center
In addition to programs happening during the run of The Philadelphians projection in LOVE Park, Forman Arts Initiative is hosting a series of workshops and discussions reflecting on the Public Works partnership, these workshops touch on diverse topics such as language accessibility and recording oral histories from family members.
For more information or inquiries on public programs, please contact Jameson Paige, Curator of Public Practice, at jameson.paige@muralarts.org
This project is funded by the City of Philadelphia and ArtBridge.
