The Artist Pitch and Participate event was held on March 30 at the United Bank building (Photos courtesy of LoLa 38).

Ten local artists have been selected to help produce a series of public art installations on Lancaster Avenue.

LoLa 38, a Creative Placemaking project based in West Philadelphia, invited over 20 local artists and artist collaboratives to pitch their ideas for two public art projects in Powelton Village – at the former United Bank building (3750 Lancaster Ave) and the construction fence on the site of the former University City High School.

Ellen Tiberino (left) and audience member.

In brief presentations, each of them no more than five minutes, held on March 30 artists were asked to answer one of the following questions: How does progress feel? Which walls are invisible? Is there a good rate of change? The audience–a crowd of over 30 community members–judged and placed their votes based on the following criteria: excellence, community connection, curiosity, capacity, and wild card.

Ellen Tiberino, Brian “BCASSO” Bazemore, Melanie Booth, Gabrielle Patterson, Lucy Pistilli will be working on the construction fence of the former University City High School.

Tiberino, who comes from the renowned Philadelphia family of artists, is an artist with deep connections to the neighborhood. She shared her memories of a flowered walkway near University City High School during her presentation. You may recall Bazemore’s work, inspired by Black Lives Matter, from his contribution to the Neighborhood Time Exchange in Fall 2015; Pistilli also contributed her own artwork to the same installation. Patterson is a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania and freelance animator. 

Emilia Brintnall, Chanelle Hurst, Femi Olatunji, Karina Puente, and John Schlesinger will be working on transforming the windows of the now closed United Bank building.

Brintall’s artwork has been seen at Space 2016, an art community at 1026 Arch Street. Hurst is an award-winning architect and has been involved with local community development projects. Olatunji is a DJ and producer. During his presentation, he shared his thoughts on West Philly’s representative and unique nature, saying it is “the most realistic example of Philly.” Puente is a Mexican-American fine artist based in Philadelphia. Schlesinger collaborated with Tra Bouscaren on Dear Volunteers (Facebook page), and speculative installation to explore toxicity and spectacle.

The artwork is expected to debut this spring (as soon as May) and will be showcased throughout the summer.

– Danielle Corcione