Commissioned by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and Manayunk Development Corporation  •  acrylic and polytab, 2024

Throughout the century following the United States Civil War, Philadelphia was known as the “Workshop of the World.” The city was a manufacturing powerhouse, with thousands of small and large-scale facilities populating a wide range of industry—a reflection of Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial spirit. During this heyday, a complex and self-sustaining ecosystem emerged, supported by a vast network of working relationships within and across trades. This depth and diversity of production sustained the health and longevity of Philadelphia’s industrial base, far surpassing many other North American cities.

Regardless of its early strength, Philadelphia’s manufacturing economy experienced an inexorable decline during the second half of the 20th century. Left behind were the enormous and often magnificent physical remnants of that disappearing city. As the city has redefined itself in recent decades, many of these historic structures, including mills and factories, have been repurposed for adaptive and imaginative reuse. A few have survived outright, having successfully adjusted with the times. Many others stand underutilized or forgotten, subject to scrappers, squatters, and nature’s decay.

This mural is located in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mural takes its inspiration from the Manayunk Canal, which was the first canal begun in the United States. The imagery combines past with present: in the background we see historical images of the canal and the Pennsylvania Railroad, while in the foreground, the canal is given new life and color as nature starts to take over and rewild the waterway.