Profile: Jane Golden ’03, USA
January 2004
“Murals exist at the meeting point of our political, social, and aesthetic worlds,” says Jane Golden ’03, USA, director of the City of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program (MAP). The program, the largest public art program in the United States, has completed over 2,300 indoor and outdoor murals. Its mission grew out of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, which was designed to combat the growing problem of graffiti in the city.
Golden has always been interested in murals because they free art from the traditional museum and gallery setting, bringing it directly to the people. She painted her first mural in Santa Monica, California, 23 years ago and has been involved in mural painting and community service ever since. Because the murals aim to revitalize and engage the communities for which they are created, they are designed in a collaborative process involving members of the community and the muralists, and serve as reflections of the community’s history, culture, and ideals.
According to Golden, these murals are a catalyst to change. When MAP wanted to paint a peace wall in Gray’s Ferry, an area in Philadelphia with a history of racial tension, the community was initially unresponsive, and people told Golden that the mural would likely be defaced. The peace wall was successfully completed in 1998, however, and its dedication ceremony was an integrated event that drew people together in appreciations of their common goal of a safer and more civil neighborhood. Today the mural remains untouched by graffiti, and MAP has created seven more murals in Grays Ferry, as well as an art education program for youths.
Through Golden’s organization, more than 1,000 eight to eighteen year olds who have learned about the history and process of mural painting and have had the opportunity to participate in painting murals.
Golden traveled to Ireland during her Fellowship, where she gained a greater understanding of what their murals represent and the role the regional conflict has played in the creation of murals. Inspired by her fellowship and understanding the importance of communication across cultures, Golden hosted a Mural Arts tour during the 50th Anniversary Conference. This allowed participants to visit about 30 murals, including the city’s largest one, and to speak with Golden directly about challenges she faces. Many fellows were impressed with the program’s impact and have since expressed interest in starting similar programs in their own cities.
Thanks to Golden, Eisenhower Fellowships now has its own mural located in the heart of Philadelphia, created by MAP artist Michael Webb. The mural, dedicated during the anniversary conference, depicts a sycamore tree, the “Tree of Knowledge,” with objects symbolizing human endeavor, knowledge, and perseverance hidden within its leaves.