Independence Starts Here

Using art as a vehicle for discussion and collaboration, People with Disabilities throughout Philadelphia participated in the creation of this 12,000-square-foot mural. Through a series of workshops and discussions, artist Donald Gensler worked to understand some of the common ideologies, experiences, and concerns within disability communities in Philadelphia. This mural is a visual record of some of the people and groups within this diverse population engaged and active in their lives.

Gensler deigned Independence Starts Here to address the fact that approximately 20% of Philadelphia’s citizens are living with a disability. According to Gensler: “The images are straightforward. I wanted the portraits of the individuals involved in the project to say ‘look at me, this is who I am, here we are’ in an unadulterated way. I wanted this mural to say ‘we’re here, we’re part of this space.’”

Of particular interest is the ASL (American Sign Language) alphabet depicted on the wall. The artist worked with students from the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf who modeled the individual letters (with their hands). The mural was produced with the cooperation and input of several organizations that provide services and advocacy for local disabled individuals.

Location Note: Mural is no longer on view at this location (painted out in 2017).