We Glow in the Dark

We Glow in the Dark (WGITD) was a fully sustainable interactive sculpture produced by Brooklyn-based artist Torkwase Dyson in collaboration with youth from Mural Arts Philadelphia’s ArtWorks! and Restorative Justice Guild programs. This outdoor sculptural platform comprised three multi-use components that collapse into a singular form constructed almost entirely of re-purposed, recycled and salvaged materials, upgraded into an elegant but functional structure. Powered by solar energy and illuminated with LED lights, the sculpture transformed into a glowing, interactive evening spectacle. The goal of this project was to provide a stage for public arts and cultural organizations to offer performance-based and educational programming for youth. Local organizations were invited to create programs and workshops to utilize the sculpture’s full potential; workshops will include poetry, dance and other performance-based arts.

This project provided Mural Arts youth participants with the opportunity to work collaboratively with re-purposing companies, solar companies, environmental organizations and Mural Arts’ own
Restorative Justice Program in order to design a sculptural platform that was hosted in various public spaces. During the summer of 2010, youth from the ArtWorks! program collaborated with
Dyson in a six-week design workshop that introduced them to traditional architecture and drafting techniques, materials, schematics and 3-D drafting software. During the Spring 2011 session,
Dyson managed youth from the Restorative Justice Program to construct the sculpture.

Location Note: Temporary project no longer on view at this location.