New South Philly mural will reflect diversity of neighbors’ native lands

Jonathan Wilson

March 20, 2017

Amanda DeSenna (left) and Marielle Fortune paint one of the canvas squares that will make up Shira Walinsky's new mural, ''Migrating Home.'' (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Mural artist Shira Walinsky instructs Matthew Sansweet on techniques of mural painting. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Paint is mixed and color coded in preparation for painting the ''Migrating Home'' mural. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Keith Sottovia (left) and Sandra Marinaccio, owners of the home where the mural will be installed, help with the painting. (Jonathan Wilson / For WHYY)
Shown is a close-up of the original ''Migrating Home'' painting. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
The paint-by-number canvases made painting the mural a simple process for the volunteers. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Rima Jacobs carefully applies paint to one of the canvas squares. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Nearly 50 volunteers participate in the mural painting at the Capitolo Playground Center. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
At Capotolo Playground Center in South Philadelphia (from left) Ann Kramer, Meniyah Miller, and Alex Kim prepare paint. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Amanda DeSenna (left) and Marielle Fortune paint one of the mural’s canvas squares. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Seven students from Teens Inc., a community service group that supports teenagers from throughout the city, helped with painting the mural. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Meg Dath puts some finishing touches on a nearly completed mural square. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Completed mural squares are laid on a sheet of plastic for temporary storage by (from left) Meniyah Miller, Alex Kim, mural artist Shira Walinsky, and Ann Kramer. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
The mural will adorn the home of Sandra Marinaccio and Keith Sottovia located at 10th and Dickinson streets. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)
Taped to the wall of the Capitolo Playground Center is the original painting of ''Migrating Home'' from which the three-story mural is being created. (Jonathan Wilson for WHYY)

Inspired by the diversity of the Passyunk Square neighborhood in South Philadelphia, artist and designer Shira Walinsky created a mural, “Migrating Home,” that pays tribute to the residents’ native countries.

The mural is an abstract map of the area with elements of the countries from which the residents migrated.

On Saturday, Walinsky teamed up with the Passyunk Square Civic Association and volunteers from throughout the city to bring the mural to life at the Capitolo Playground Center.

The mural was broken down into large canvas squares, then color coded. This enabled participants to literally paint by number.

The completed mural will be installed on the side of the home of Sandra Marinaccio and Keith Sottovia at 10th and Dickinson streets.

Walinsky likened the process of attaching the mural squares on the side of the building to hanging wallpaper. The mural, a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia, is expected to be finished and dedicated in early summer.