MAT TOMEZSKO

14 Movements: A Symphony In Color And Words

14 Movements: A Symphony In Color And Words is a brightly colored, temporary public art installation that was located on the South Broad Street median in Center City Philadelphia during the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Presented by Mural Arts Philadelphia, Knight Foundation, and the DNC Host Committee, the mural was painted on a temporary vinyl ground covering and stretched 14 blocks from City Hall to Washington Avenue.

The visual movement of 14 Movements unfolds like a classical sonata: rippling colors and forms are introduced, developed, and then revisited as onlookers make their way up or down one of the city’s busiest corridors. The work also features words and imagery found in Philadelphia Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher’s celebrated book of poems, Monk Eats an Afro. The painterly symphony represents the desire of all people to be seen, heard, and represented, and reflects the importance of placing open discussion and the exchange of ideas at the forefront of our society. The piece is intended to create a space to reflect upon and embrace a diversity of experience. The piece reflects the real life of the city, the rich inner life of the lives being lived everyday, and represents a desire for openness and understanding.

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14 Movements was selected by Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Year in Review as outstanding public art for 2016.