By Aaron Salsbury

Q&A Interview with Nathaniel Ross, local metal-worker who commissioned the murals

You’re a West Philadelphia resident and also have a workshop in the neighborhood. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you love the neighborhood?

I’m a Delco kid, and I couldn’t wait to get away from the suburbs. I landed first in South Philly but the crowded treeless streets were too much for me.  When I first saw the trees, wide streets, and beautiful buildings of West Philly I knew that I wanted to move there. The cultural diversity and progressive politics of the area made me feel that I could make my home here long term. 

We first saw your post about sourcing artists for the mural project in a West Philly community group. Did you expect the response it received?

Not at all! I just expected recommendations from within my circle of acquaintances. I was a bit overwhelmed by both the interested artists and folks wanting to support the project. 

“When I sprayed BLACK LIVES MATTER on the front wall of my shop I realized that I had a space to amplify the voice of a person of color.”

You’re providing the paint for the project, as well as compensating the artists for their work. Why did you find it so important to revitalize the walls of your workshop? 

I’ve always had a progressive liberal attitude, but I didn’t do much more than vote and have one on one conversations. Since the election of Trump I’ve become more demonstrative and involved, and since the murder of George Floyd I’ve become driven to fight for justice. I march, donate, and strive to educate myself and others. When I sprayed BLACK LIVES MATTER on the front wall of my shop I realized that I had a space to amplify the voice of a person of color. When the response was so energetic, I decided to do a second wall at the shop and a third wall at my house. I think that it is important that the voices of the people of the city be heard in as many ways as possible, especially the voices of those who have long been stifled.  

You mentioned you’ve been a resident of Philadelphia for 22 years. What message are you hoping this sends to the neighborhood?

The point of the murals is to give a loud voice to some creative people of color, so that they can send their message, in their own way. My message, I guess, is that I am here to support my neighbors and the movement.

The building directly faces a busy commuter train line, right? Can you tell us a little bit about what that means to you, and why this real estate and it’s new message is so important?

That train line goes to the Delco suburb where I grew up. It’s a conservative, homogeneous, stifling place. My first year of college I commuted to U of the Arts on that train, staring out the window, daydreaming about the buildings and neighborhoods that I flew through every day. Now my studio is in one of those buildings. I want the murals to catch the eye of those bored suburbanites. I want them to see that the neighborhood is alive and vibrant and interesting. Maybe they’ll notice something long ignored.

You were at the protest event at the art museum last weekend. Can you tell us a little bit about what you experienced?

It was an intense uplifting experience. There is so much anger and frustration and I feel like the marches help to focus and harness the anger into a positive and powerful force. It didn’t feel like a culmination, or an ending, or a goal in itself. It felt like a beginning, a call to action, a foundation on which to build something new.  

With all of the buildings currently being boarded up, it seems like there is more blank/unused space that could be filled with murals than ever.  You mentioned there will be an additional piece being done on your house by Edith Lopez Estrada, are there plans for any additional murals after that? What does the future hold for this project?  

There’s so much space and energy to do things right now. I’m focused on finishing these first three murals at the moment, but I’m talking with some neighbors about whether this can continue on in some way. I hope it does.  

Are you accepting donations for the supplies / work? Do you have a link you’d like us to post? 

At this point, these three murals are fully funded. If the project continues we’ll let you know how to support it.

1st Mural Address: 927 s. 51st st

2nd Mural Address: 734 s. 50th st