S

treet art has long played a role in

reflecting the cultural mindset and

emotional heartbeat of urban epicen-

ters, and large-scale public murals

are one of the most ambitious

and effective forms of this type of outdoor expression.

Although there are famous murals in major cities through-

out the world, Philadelphia has earned an international

reputation as “The City of Murals,” with an impressive port-

folio of more than 4,000 original public artworks adorning

its walls and streets. Fueling this philanthropic effort

is Mural Arts Philadelphia (muralarts.org), which has

commissioned or co-organized almost all of these murals

throughout their more than 35-year history. In doing so,

the organization continues to make great strides in its

Embrace Second Chances
by Donald Gensler
located at 1221 South 15th Street,
Philadelphia; acrylic mural paint
PHOTO BY JACK RAMSDALE