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How Do You See #MonumentLab?

Over the last eight weeks, our Instagram feed has exploded with content from Monument Lab, our biggest project ever. Everyone has their own unique perspective, and it’s incredible to see the project through your eyes. Instagram creators have shared their take on the project, and photographer Albert Lee (@urphillypal) collaborated with us and Indego for a #squadgoals Monument Lab bike tour. And no surprise here—our Klip Collective event in Marconi Plaza was an Instagram hotspot. See #MonumentLab from the perspective of some of your favorite Instagram accounts, and check out the hashtag for the latest posts from people all over the city.

 

 

 

“Free Speech” is an interactive news kiosk installed as part of @muralarts #MonumentLab project. It is right next to SEPTA’s Oregon Station at Marconi Plaza. Shira Walinsky has worked with the local community to bring the voices of refugees and immigrants to the forefront through photos, recipe cards, oral histories, maps and books. It is an amazingly interactive and intensely thought provoking part of the citywide arts project. Definitely worth a trek to #southphilly for a conversation about this timely subject with a variety of attendants. . . . . #iphoneonly #philadelphia #philly #whyilovephilly #art #publicart #immigration #immigrants #SEPTA #freespeech #refugeeswelcome #refugees #compassion #metropicsphilly #explore215 #visitphilly #discoverphl #phillyunknown #6abcaction #jj_philadelphia #igers_philly #marconiplaza #bhutanese #Burmese #Nepalese

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1336. “It’s the pursuit of survival, but it’s the pursuit of being human while you’re doing it.” Originally from “the middle of nowhere New Mexico,” Yona Yurwit moved to Philadelphia after graduating from Soka University because she wanted to be in a city with public transportation. When she arrived, she aspired to work for the non-profit, Food Trust, but became more interested in the visual arts after making friends with a girl who was involved in a painting troupe. As her doubts began to fade away and she became more confident in her art, Yona started creating work (@yonayurwitart) designed to inspire conversations amongst the community. (It seems she was always destined for this path as she explained, “My parents literally had to stop me from drawing on the walls when I was younger.”) She started becoming more involved with art organizations like @muralarts and is now helping inspire conversation in the community by working with them on their @monument_lab exhibition. Standing by pieces like @mel.chin’s “ME” monument (pictured) in City Hall, Yona discusses what would make an appropriate monument for Philly with people by using art as a safe point of entry for conversation! Such a pleasure to meet you, @yurwity! #10kfriends #philly #cityhall #survival #newmexico #art #artist #conversation #MuralArts #MonumentLab #ME #meetingpeople • How we met: Yona and I were introduced via @muralarts! She’s the second of two artists I’m highlighting as part of their @monument_lab exhibition!

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1276. “My mom ended up saying to me, ‘You’re the bravest person I know.’” Despite graduating from @dartmouthcollege with a degree in Psychology, Karyn Olivier adjusted her life path to become a professional artist after falling in love with ceramics. During her years of working professionally at Bloomingdale’s (where she worked long nights and was required to dress in formal wear), Karyn decided she needed a night off and enrolled in a ceramics class at the 92nd Street YMCA in NYC. She didn’t know it then, but that class would act as the catalyst to her going to art school in Philly and pursuing her MFA at @cranbrook_art in Michigan. After waiting tables to make it through school, Karyn graduated and has since used her degrees to install art in several locations across the globe. Most recently, she installed “The Battle Is Joined” (behind us) in Vernon Park as part of the @muralarts @monument_lab exhibition. Karyn explained how by essentially making the “Battle of Germantown Memorial” (the monument underneath her art) invisible, she’s actually drawing light to its history and allowing the people who view it to become part of the monument through its reflection. Also side note – as we chatted we briefly met a man she’d met when she was installing the project who at that time criticized her work for money being invested in art rather than areas like feeding the homeless or veteran services. Karyn replied, “Do we not deserve beauty because we live in an economically depressed area?” and the two have been pals since then! He was pumped to see her today and told her all about the groups of people who have been admiring her work! Thanks for hanging and installing such a cool piece of art, @karynolivier! #10kfriends #philly #vernonpark #dartmouth #ceramics #mirror #thebattleisjoined #MuralArts #MonumentLab #beauty #meetingpeople • How we met: Karyn and I were introduced via @muralarts! She’s one of two artists I’ll be highlighting as part of their @monument_lab exhibition!

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Stoop Life ✌? ____________________ Stoopers: @illadelphia @mahogany_mama @hidden.mickey @amyjani ____________________ Stoops by: @stoop_phenomena_ ____________________ Photo is from last week’s @muralarts #monumentlab bike tour led by the man, himself, @urphillypal. Make sure you get a chance to check all the labs out! – – #phillyunknown#igers_philly#peopledelphia#phillygram#philly#cityofbrotherlylove#philadelphia#igersoftheday#sunrise#moody#portradelphia#instagood#communityfirst#communityovercompetition#mylife#photography#photographer#photographysouls#inspiration#positivevibes#whyilovephilly#pcpotd#jj_philadelphia#6abcaction#enjoytheview#royalsnappingartists#igersusa#mylife#discoverphl#ourphilly#peopledelphia

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Spent the day biking around Philly yesterday visiting the #monumentlab sites around the city. This one, in Rittenhouse Square is called ‘The Built/Unbuilt Square’. Peek through the viewfinder and you will see archived photos of this glorious square from past eras. So cool. If you are wandering around Philly check out Monument Lab’s unique public art and history project #ilovemycity ? ^ ^ ^ #muralartsphilly #rittenhousesquare #createeveryday #communityovercompetition #sundayfunday #bikeride #philly #phillymasters #pcpotd #phillyunknown #igers_philly #ig_color #cityscape #citycolor #discoverphl #visitphilly #illgrammers #howphillyseesphilly #6abcaction #fallcolors #fall #autumninthecity #cityart #arteverywhere #explore215 #exploretocreate #liveagreatstory #fallforrrs

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Last night I had the pleasure of getting an early peek at something truly unique. I was invited by @muralarts to check out their newest #monumentlab Project titled, Passage::Migration ^ ^ This video and light instillation features the last names of scores of the many generations of South Philly’s immigrants. Using a translucent, billowing fabric you walk through the installation while the names surround you as music plays in the background. The artist, Ricardo Rivera, says that its “like this country, once you enter, you are a part of it”. It was cool to see the artist from @klipcollective putting it all together in anticipation for this Saturday * * Check it out this Saturday for one night only at the Marconi Plaza from 7p-10p. There will be discussions as well as food trucks! You don’t want to miss this inspiring art project? * * * #philly #monumentlab #muralartsphilly #artinspiration #artinstallation #artinthepark #phillyarts #6abcaction #phillyprimeshots #iphone7plus #pcpotd #phillyunknown #igersphilly #visitphilly #discoverphl #arteverywhere #ilovemycity #phillylove #phillylovenotes #phillyparks #southphilly

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Swipe for some photos I took during the preview of @klipcollective’s and Ricardo Rivera’s prototype monument last night. See this and more at the one night only showing of “Passage :: Migration” at Marconi Plaza 10/28 7pm to 10 pm. Check it out if you can! Many thanks to @muralarts for the invitation. × × × × × × ×#jj_philadelphia #Phillymuralarts #phillyunknown #igers_philly #explore215 #publicart #cityart #lovepublicart #howphillyseesphilly #whyilovephilly #pcpotd #phillypulse #monumentlab #6abcaction #phillyphire #discoverphl #visitphilly #the_illadelph_215 #215phillyig #arteverywhere #yophillymag #OurPhilly #whatmakesphilly #phillygram #featcbphilly #huffpostgram #YourShotPhotographer #tv_streetart #cityofmurals

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Lead Monument Lab partners include the City of Philadelphia; Philadelphia Parks & Recreation; Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy; Historic Philadelphia; Independence National Historic Park; Penn Institute for Urban Research; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; Price Lab for Digital Humanities; and the University of Pennsylvania.

Major support for Monument Lab projects staged in Philadelphia’s five squares has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

An expanded artist roster and projects at five neighborhood sites have been made possible by a significant grant from the William Penn Foundation.

Lead corporate sponsor is Bank of America.

Additional support has been provided by Susanna Lachs & Dean Adler, William & Debbie Becker, CLAWS Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal, Davis Charitable Foundation, Hummingbird Foundation, J2 Design, National Endowment for the Arts, Nick & Dee Adams Charitable Fund, Parkway Corporation, PECO, Relief Communications LLC, Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square, Stacey Spector & Ira Brind, Tiffany Tavarez, Tuttleman Family Foundation, Joe & Renee Zuritsky, and 432 Kickstarter backers. Support for Monument Lab‘s final publication provided by the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation.

Media partner: WHYY

Author

Laura Kochman

Categories

Art in Philadelphia Public Art Special Projects