One World (Reenvisioning)

In 2010, Mural Arts Philadelphia dedicated Ann Northrup’s 49-foot high and 34-foot wide impressionist mural One World at the Independence Charter School, located at 16th and Lombard streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mural depicted an international marketplace in diverse ecosystems, with vignettes of people from countries including Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Mexico. The idea was inspired by a fruit market that students from the nearby Independence Charter School were operating at the time. Under Northrup’s leadership, painting began two years earlier, with the help of charter school students, Philadelphians who were incarcerated or recently released, interns, and volunteers. Later, expansion of the charter school caused the mural to be obscured.

Before the mural was obscured, Maine-based panoramic photographer Aaron Priest of Vast Photography took an extraordinarily detailed photo of the mural. Hundreds to thousands of photographs of the mural were stitched together, resulting in a 260 GB file. Nine years later, a suitable wall was found and Ben Volta of Mural Provisions printed it on parachute cloth and sized to fit the new location as can be seen today on 21st Street, just south of Market Street in Philadelphia. This re-creation, now entitled One World, A Monument to the Diaspora, was installed in 2019 by Northrup with assistance from Eric Okdeh, Daniel Lipshutz, and Tash Billington. The new mural site required additional design work to fit the wall, which was designed by Northrup and painted by Greg Prestegord.

One World, A Monument to the Diaspora demonstrates the diversity of the earth and humankind and our similarities as we interact in our daily lives. The hope is that this depiction of who we are fosters empathy towards each other locally and globally. What a noble idea to keep alive. That’s why Mural Arts Philadelphia believes it’s vital not just to honor the artworks that make up Philadelphia’s world-renowned outdoor gallery but to preserve them, keeping the themes behind the painting at the forefront of the consciousness of its observers. The artistry and imagery represented in these works are an essential part of Philadelphia’s history and civic landscape.

Location Note: Mural is located just south of 2100 Market Street, near the corner of 21st and Ludlow Sts.