Can we call this life?

Can we call this life? by artist Martha Rich was installed as part of the annual Spring Arts outdoor exhibition in the Callowhill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This mural is a true depiction of Rich’s style. The design of this mural draws inspiration from eavesdropping, borrowing quotes she overhears from people passing by, as well as the history and graffiti within the neighborhood. Rich describes the mural in her artist statement:

“This design is a visual representation of the all the bits of conversations, words, advertisements, texts, things we read, see and hear that bombard us in our daily lives. The placement of words and phrases is random yet they tell their own story. I gathered words from the immediate area; from signage, graffiti, conversations of people walking down the street, from people who engaged with me while I was painting and from the history of the street. I also gathered phrases from the Mural Arts and my own Instagram feed.”

Since 2016, Spring Arts is an annual installation of temporary and permanent artworks in collaboration with Arts + Crafts Holdings. Artists are invited annually to experiment, create, and innovate old building walls between 10th and 11th, Spring Garden and Hamilton Streets to rebrand the neighborhood. Artworks are exhibited on a revolving basis, providing a diverse range of artists with the opportunity to create engaging public art.

Location Note: Murals are on view in the West Side Parking Lot of the building at 1016 Buttonwood Street.