As two DP articles on the subject have pointed out, the blank wall on the side of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house is blank, and it is ugly. The old excuse that "Penn doesn't do murals" is tired - the University is ready for a mural, and it is ready now.
Last semester, the previous DP Opinion Board issued an editorial opposing a mural. However, the current Opinion Board disagrees. Penn has long been home to modern, some might even say radical, public art. There is no reason why a giant white button in front of Van Pelt Library is more indicative of the campus personality than a tasteful mural.
Although originally conceived as a way of fighting blight in decaying neighborhoods, today the whole city has embraced murals. Penn is virtually surrounded by them - Center City and West Philadelphia are home to some striking murals - and can no longer pretend it is an island. Saying that a mural has no place on an Ivy League campus ignores the unique relationship Penn has with the city - a relationship that other Ivy League schools are struggling to achieve.
There are numerous options for content: illustrious Penn alums, Ben Franklin, more recent contributions of Penn researchers, the list goes on. The director of Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program, Jane Golden, teaches at Penn, so it would not be difficult to get advice from the experts.
Now is not the time to shy away from bold projects that both enhance and alter the campus's existing aesthetic atmosphere. As the University moves east and becomes home to buildings that display innovative architecture, now is the perfect time to introduce a mural close to the heart of campus.
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