Structure and Surface, Past and Present

In the summer of 2012, Mural Arts Philadelphia placed six regional artists in residence at six Philadelphia textile manufacturers. These residencies were part of Structure and Surface, an exploratory project that uncovered the legacy of Philadelphia’s textile manufacturing industry, which was once at the forefront of high-quality textile production and design, but has nearly disappeared. Five years later, we decided to look back at three of our manufacturing partners: Bentley Robe Company in West Philadelphia, Clemson Winding in Frankford, and Wayne Mills in Germantown. Surrounded by whirring spindles and symmetrical bundles of fabric, Structure and Surface begins to ask: where is the line between art and craft?

These videos were made in partnership with MING Media.

Structure and Surface received funding from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.