Penn grad's photos inspire Philadelphia's largest mural

It may be fair to say that the event held in Garage F, Level 6 at Philadelphia International Airport was the most exciting thing ever to happen to a parking lot.

On Wednesday evening, a congregation of art enthusiasts, dancers and Philadelphians gathered to celebrate the completion of a 85,000-square foot mural — inspired by the photographs of 2002 College graduate Jacques-Jean Tiziou — on the facade of the airport’s garages.

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program worked in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia Office of Transportation for nearly two and a half years on the project, called “How Philly Moves.” The 26 images of dancers of all ages and backgrounds, comprising the largest mural in the city, cannot be missed while driving near the airport on I-95.

Tiziou, a former Daily Pennsylvanian photo editor, spent two years taking 18,000 pictures of dancers for the mural.

The initial location he had in mind for the project was at a SEPTA location. That was where the title “How Philly Moves” originated: the idea of moving alluded to moving via transportation and dance. Although the ultimate location for the mural was the airport, the double meaning remained intact.

The key success of “How Philly Moves,” in the eyes of many attendees, was that it beautified the city. “It’s a unique use of art,” Commissioner Louis Giorla said, “and it blends well into the surroundings.” Others noted how it immediately catches the viewer’s attention and is an excellent way of welcoming visitors to Philadelphia.

Cesar Viveros, a traditional Mexican dancer featured in the mural in Aztec garb, felt that the mural serves as “a huge statement of acceptance of diversity” in the city. The mural delivered an opportunity to show Philadelphians the different cultures of its citizens, he said.

1976 Wharton graduate Mayor Michael Nutter shared a few words of appraisal. “I have been to ribbon cutting and ground-breaking events,” he said, “but never in a garage.” He expressed how proud he was of his city, and boasted its affinity toward murals — Philadelphia has the most murals of any city in the country, if not the world.

For head muralist Jonathan Laidacker, the project was a dream job. “I had trouble falling asleep,” he said, “because I was so excited to go to work in the morning.” Laidacker was elated that the mural looked exactly like what he had envisioned, but felt “sad to see [the project] end.”

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