Movement. Monument. Momentum. Monument Lab.

Were you at last Saturday’s spotlight event at City Hall? We kicked off Monument Lab with a thought-provoking public conversation between artist Hank Willis Thomas and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of The Roots, and an amazing poetry performance from Ursula Rucker. Tonight, City Hall comes alive again with the launch of Michelle Angela Ortiz’s Seguimos Caminando (We Keep Walking), and then the hits just keep on coming. This week’s highlights include Monument to the Philadelphia Poet (a monument in verse), a gallery opening around Tyree Guyton’s work in Kensington, and programming around place, ownership, and land usage at Penn Treaty Park. But here’s where you can find Monument Lab all week long.

Launch Event: Seguimos Caminando (We Keep Walking)

WHAT
Honoring mothers previously or currently detained at Berks Detention Center with an animated projection on the north gate of City Hall.

WHEN
Friday, September 22
7–10 p.m.
Projection from 8–10 p.m.

WHERE
North Apron, City Hall
1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Saturday Spotlight: Norris Square

WHAT
A new film gives a firsthand look at the past, present, and future of Norris Square Park through the eyes of Semillas del Futuro’s youth program (Norris Square Neighborhood Project).

WHEN
Saturday, September 23
1–4 p.m.

WHERE
Norris Square
2100 North Howard Street

Educator’s Workshop: Monument Lab

WHAT
A professional development workshop for teachers, uncovering the Philadelphia monuments of the past and questioning what makes a monument in the 21st century. $10 registration.

WHEN
Saturday, September 23
9:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

WHERE
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street

Emeka Ogboh featuring Ursula Rucker: Logan Squared, Sundays through November 19

WHAT
Incorporating poetry and music, this sound installation is a monument to Philadelphia sound and collective memory, creating an immersive experience.

WHEN
Sunday, September 24 (and Sundays through November 19)
2–4:30 p.m.

WHERE
Skyline Terrace
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street

Love Is the Message: Curator’s Talk with Paul Farber

WHAT
Part of the ongoing Love Is the Message exhibition at iMPeRFeCT Gallery, Monument Lab curator Paul Farber will give a talk on this new mural from artist Jamel Shabazz.

WHEN
Tuesday, September 26
7–8 p.m.

WHERE
IMPeRFeCT Gallery
5539 Germantown Avenue

Monument to the Philadelphia Poet

WHAT
A host of Philadelphia-based poets come together in a marathon-style reading to create a monument in verse.

WHEN
Wednesday, September 27
6–8 p.m.

WHERE
Shakespeare Park
Logan Square
North 19th Street

Tyree Guyton Gallery Opening at Kensington

WHAT
See the process behind Tyree Guyton’s massive installation, THE TIMES—a monument to time, recovery, resilience, and healing in the context of trauma.

WHEN
Friday, September 29
6–8 p.m.

WHERE
Kensington Storefront
2774 Kensington Avenue

Saturday Spotlight: Penn Treaty Park

WHAT
Take a deeper look at Monument Lab projects in Penn Treaty Park from RAIR and Duane Linklater, with music, food, and talks from RAIR artists Billy Dufala and Lucia Thome.

WHEN
Saturday, September 30
1–4 p.m.

WHERE
Penn Treaty Park
1301 North Beach Street

Lead Monument Lab partners include the City of Philadelphia; Philadelphia Parks & Recreation; Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy; Historic Philadelphia; Independence National Historic Park; Penn Institute for Urban Research; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; Price Lab for Digital Humanities; and the University of Pennsylvania.

Major support for Monument Lab projects staged in Philadelphia’s five squares has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.

An expanded artist roster and projects at five neighborhood sites have been made possible by a significant grant from the William Penn Foundation.

Lead corporate sponsor is Bank of America.

Additional support has been provided by Susanna Lachs & Dean Adler, William & Debbie Becker, CLAWS Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal, Davis Charitable Foundation, Hummingbird Foundation, J2 Design, National Endowment for the Arts, Nick & Dee Adams Charitable Fund, Parkway Corporation, PECO, Relief Communications LLC, Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square, Stacey Spector & Ira Brind, Tiffany Tavarez, Tuttleman Family Foundation, Joe & Renee Zuritsky, and 432 Kickstarter backers. Support for Monument Lab‘s final publication provided by the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation.

Media partner: WHYY

Event sponsor for Monument to the Philadelphia Poet is the Philadelphia Media Network.