- location 4636 Woodland Avenue
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Neighborhood
West Philadelphia
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completion date
September 01, 2020
About the Project
Boat People finds space between immigration, displacement, and colonization to honor those who have migrated to Philadelphia, whether voluntarily or not.
The painting shows a boat crowded with people and a central figure wearing a ceremonial white mask. His body contains a boat floating above a sea of red, symbolizing the blood shed from the difficult journey between one’s homeland and adopted home
This bright, geometric mural is a testament of human’s ability to persevere and adapt, and celebrates the diversity and culture brought to Philadelphia by immigrants and refugees.
Claes Gabriel is a Philadelphia-based artist from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He immigrated to the United States in 1989 where he later earned a Bachelor of Fine Art in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Funder
City of Philadelphia