Magic Hour

Magic Hour by artist Brad Carney and poet Ursula Rucker was created to reflect personal moments and shared feelings from community experiences during magic hour. Magic hour is a transitional moment each day at sunrise and sunset where the light embraces us and gives us pause to view the awe of the light. The design represents a scene of transition. The sun is just about to set, people are coming and going, embracing the moment of illuminating light.

The mural, placed across the street from the Berks SEPTA station, is also reflective of a location of transition for many commuters going to work, school, and home. The mural aims to provide a moment of pause to those in their daily commute and passers-by, just as magic hour does — reflect in a moment, shed light on our lives, and embrace the day.

Each figurative element represents an expression of joy or wonder as the viewer connects within themselves or with others. The landscape draws from nature, historical buildings, and local contemporary settings reflecting the past, but also looking ahead at the collective bright future. The words and images in the mural are meant to stand alone. They can be formed into one’s own narrative, or be something that the viewer thinks about and interprets as they walk away from the mural.

About the Railway Enhancement Project:
The result of numerous community meetings in North Philadelphia neighborhoods over 2019-2020, The Viaduct was a monumental effort and collaboration between artists and community leaders to turn three heavily-traveled underpasses into safe and vibrant spaces for all. The designs are reflective of the strength and resilience of surrounding neighborhoods and pay homage to the complexity, history, and beauty of the community, portrayed in bright, abundant colors to demonstrate the power of accomplishing together what we cannot do alone. Magic Hour is part of this larger project, which originally included three sites (completed in 2020) and was expanded to include the Berks SEPTA station as a fourth site. The project is funded by the Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is a lead partner in implementing the grant.

Community Engagement:
As part of the design development process artists were asked to host a series of community events in the neighborhood near their assigned underpass mural. These events started in January 2019 and ran through early spring 2020. They ranged from painting large sunflowers and making mosaic pots, to community dinners and a dress-up photoshoot. Events helped artists further engage with the community, collect input, images and stories to help evolve their designs. Photographers Shawn Theodore and John Noble captured the community spirit of these events.