untitled

Stigma by Baltimore-based artist Nether was a temporary installation at The Fillmore music venue in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mural honors a group of young LGBTQ activists called Check It, who are an all-gay and transgender gang from Washington, D.C. It references a photograph by M. Holden Warren.

Nether described the project on social media:

“This mural, titled ‘Stigma’, is part of an ongoing mural series that deals with perception and misunderstanding of the other in the urban environment.

“In this series I have used text to call it like it is while letting the imagery echo a very human reality that combats it. In this mural the essence of struggle and pride in the imagery is made to create friction or resistance to the text.

“The fence is an element that I have woven in and out of my work in the past. It represents the physical and metaphorical barriers in our society that bar the marginalized from even fighting for a better lives.”

“The fence is shown mangled and broken to symbolize the hopeful dismantling of these boundaries with the shifting social climate.

“The figure in the mural is of a young man from the D.C. group Check It. Check It was started in 2005 by a group of 9th graders who formed together for protection against brutality due to appearance and gender identity. Since then Check It has moved in the direction of fashion design.”

In November 2015, The Fillmore, a presenter of music venues throughout the country, announced a partnership with its Fishtown location and The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. The two organizations came together to create a program featuring a rotating mural on the exterior of The Fillmore, with plans to change it every 60 to 90 days. Located on Richmond Street just two blocks from the bustling center of Fishtown, murals were painted on the load-in/load-out shutter door that welcomes all of the artists who perform at the venue.

“Part of The Fillmore legacy that Bill Graham created was the grass roots poster culture and resulting psychedelic art form which was created during the late 60s and 70s. That spirit of creating unique art to promote and celebrate the acts performing has carried on for over 50 years. Partnering with Mural Arts is a natural extension for The Fillmore to welcome the acts that are performing with amazing street art and to connect with the community and support local and national artists,” said Jason Bray, General Manager of The Fillmore. Mural Arts Philadelphia oversaw the scheduling and coordinated with local and traveling artists.