| The City of Philadelphia is renowned for its abundance of public art. Thanks to its very active Mural Arts Program and a multitude of independent artists acting in the tradition of beautifying public space, there are few neighborhoods in the city that do not host at least a few murals, memorials, or other works of public art. Often the sites chosen for these projects are schools, community centers, or other centers of public life that can benefit the most from beautification. While most of these projects are of the standard large-scale outdoor mural type, the Hawthorne Recreation Center on the 1200 block of Carpenter Street in South Philadelphia has been blessed with two local artists, Daniel Hopkins and Mike Smash, who have done much in the past few years to improve the center itself and the surrounding area through works of public service and unconventional art, all while exploring new ideas about what public art is and what role it can play. |
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