Shepard Fairey - Uplift Justice Mural
Philadelphia’s newest mural by Shepard Fairey arrived just in time for America’s 250th anniversary —a bold visual tribute that connects the city’s historic legacy with a contemporary voice in public art.
The mural, Uplift Justice, is on view at 1425 Arch St, Philadelphia, 19102. It was painted over a span of four days. Captured in a time-lapse video by Colibri Workshop.
The Uplift Justice mural is Shepard Fairey’s largest artwork in Philadelphia to date. You can see the artist and his crew on the scaffolding painting the mural in real time going up and down as they work to perfect each section of the wall. It’s a striking display of skill, precision, and speed–mastered through years of dedication to street art.
Uplift Justice was born out of great significance to the country’s and Philadelphia’s history–just in time for the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence, right in the city where the signing took place in 1776. “With this new mural, ‘Uplift Justice,’ I wanted to create something that connects the ideals of the past with the questions we face today,” said Fairey at the mural dedication event.
The mural project was organized by Mural Arts Philadelphia, and it depicts the face of an unnamed woman looking up at the scales of justice, the Liberty Bell, and a blooming flower while surrounded by patterns drawn from the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s textile archives. The mural illustrates the themes of hope, shared ideals, justice, and Philadelphia’s history. Rain or shine, the mural was painted over the span of just 4 days on the corner wall of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel located at 15th and Arch Streets, next to Love Park.
Shepard Fairey is a contemporary artist who emerged out of the street artist scene. Many people learned of his work because of his creation of the iconic “Hope” graphic poster depicting President Barack Obama during his presidential campaign in 2008. In many more murals and posters created during his career, Fairey often advances his fervent political beliefs and values within his art–telling the tale of justice, history, and the American people.