“People all over the world (everybody).  Join hands (join).   Start a love train, love train.” ~ The O’Jays. 

This weekend Dad and Daughter experienced the “Love Letters” Philadelphia Mural Tour.   Riding the Market/Frankfort El (elevated train) through West Philadelphia from 45^th to 63^rd streets we viewed/photographed a series of “Love Letter” (murals) created by Steve Powers, former Philly native, now based in New York City.  Powers who began his earliest work painting the streets of Dublin and Belfast, describes his work as a “letter for one, with meaning for all”.   

Powers was inspirited by another local graffiti artist, Darryl McCray (aka Cornbread) born in Brewerytown, North Philadelphia who started ‘tagging’ (writing their nicknames on walls) in the late 60s.  This trend eventually spread to New York City and led to the modern graffiti movement which reached its peak in the late 70s/early 80s. 

Meanwhile, in 1984, Mayor Goode recruited McCray to join his anti-graffiti movement which led to the creation of the current Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.  The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest in the nation.  It was McCrays’ work entitled “Cornbread Loves Cynthia” which inspired Powers current project “Love Letters”. 

With “Love Letters” Powers has created a series of 50 rooftop murals to express love from guy to girl, from artist to his hometown and local residents to their neighborhood of West Philadelphia.  He considers the project “my chance to put something on these rooftops that people would care about.”

Our tour guide Ellen was fantastic!

 #muralarts #muralartsphiladelphia #muralartsphilly #lovelettermurals #lovelettertraintour #lovelettertophilly #lovelettermuralarts

https://www.muralarts.org/tours/love-letter-11-4/