El Bloque de Oro/The Golden Block (2751 North 5th Street)
For these murals, Morales engaged with two senior living facilities and local businesses and property owners who shared conversations about the neighborhood’s history, personal stories, and national origins. From that input, Morales developed unique designs for each building that draw inspiration from the Golden Block neighborhood and businesses such as brick patterns, iron works on doors, windows, and metal palm trees on site, and sidewalk patterns. He also incorporated the national flowers that represent the various Latin American countries of current and future neighborhood residents. In addition, Morales added historically significant patterns tied to Taino culture to pay homage to the neighborhood’s long standing ties to the Puerto Rican diaspora.
Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Porch Light program, a collaboration with the city of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, focuses on achieving universal health and wellness among Philadelphians by offering opportunities to contribute to meaningful public artworks. Porch Light’s same day work program, Color Me Back, partnered with the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce Department, Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises (HACE), and artist Henry Morales on a project to enhance storefronts along El Bloque de Oro. Custom murals, signage, and other enhancements were designed for installation at four different properties. The project also engaged residents and business owners through the Color Me Back program, which pays unhoused or econmically insecure residents a daily wage for artistic work. The participants helped produce and install the designs, and the program provided them with employment and skill development opportunities. Each design is a unique composition, custom-made for the businesses – together they tell the story of countless individuals who continue to uplift and underscore the historical importance of Philadelphia’s Latino community.
