When designing the mini Liberty Bell that would be displayed in Germantown ahead of America’s 250th birthday, artist Emily Birdie Busch drew inspiration from the neighborhood’s abolitionist history, painting a symbol that was used by escaped slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad.
“I took this North Star quilt pattern as both a literal and symbolic representation of clarity in this chaos, and the back of the bell is a stargazing party with the idea that as a community and individually, we contemplate who amongst us keeps our eyes toward the North Star,” said Busch, whose bell also features tributes to the Wyck House and musician Sun Ra.
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As part of the Bells Across PA initiative, city officials, Mural Arts Philadelphia and other partners unveiled the designs and locations Friday for 22 fiberglass replicas that will be placed at popular corridors. Each creation, made by local artists such as Busch, was developed in partnership with neighborhood organizations to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this summer.
In addition to Germantown, bells will be installed near popular spots in Mayfair, Hunting Park, Roxborough, Wynnefield, Point Breeze, Chinatown, Fox Chase, El Centro de Oro, Logan Square, Mount Airy, Ogontz, Olney, Bella Vista, Torresdale and West Philadelphia. Visitors can also find them outside 30th Street Station, Independence Hall, City Hall and the Pennsylvania Convention Center, as well as in Bartram’s Garden and Fairmount Park.
Andrew Daniels, who uses the name Penthouse Art, was tapped to create the bell for his neighborhood, Hunting Park. In his design, he added community spots like the local swimming pool alongside personal touches such as a depiction of his grandmother’s house. It all stems from an image of hands holding seeds because he thinks so many of his neighbors plant the seeds that let the community grow each year.
“I feel like I am Hunting Park,” Daniels said. “And as an artist, I’ve never seen somebody doing art in the neighborhood, my impactfulness or my journey has been to show it in the neighborhood.”
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Andrew Daniels, left, explored the history of the neighborhood he grew up in with his bell, ‘United Hunting Park.’ Right, the local swimming pool is featured on his Liberty Bell replica.
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Emily Birdie Busch’s bell, ‘Who’s Your North Star?’ explores the history of Germantown through the North Star quilting pattern. Left, Busch stands with Mural Arts founder Jane Golden, center. Right, the back of the bell.
Sean Martorana was selected for the Fox Chase and 30th Street bells. For both, he created geometric shapes inspired by architecture and bridges, plus symbols like trains, a fox and prayer sticks from the Lenape tribe. The 30th Street design is also functional, as each side notes whether it faces north, south, east or west to help travelers get around.
“What really inspired me was how passionate people were about these areas or the building of 30th Street,” Martorana said. “That’s what really pushed me forward to get these done, to really put in some good work.”
The Wynnefield bell, “Stories Tolled,” features the bell tower from St. Joseph’s University, the veterans memorial, the Route 44 bus on City Avenue and Samuel Gompers Elementary School. Artist Abigail Reeth said she also wanted to add community activities, like jazz nights at Triangle Park and lilac blossoms for the neighborhood gardeners.
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Artist Sean Martorana stands with his bell, ‘Heartbeat of the Fox.’ Right, Martorana’s other creation, ‘The Ringing Railroad.’
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From left, ‘The Promise of What’s to Come’ by Symone Salib and ‘Celebrate Mayfair’ by Alana Bogard and Madeleine Smith, bells created for the Point Breeze and Mayfair neighborhoods.
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Abigail Reeth’s design, ‘Stories Tolled,’ represents Wynnefield.
To bring it to life, Reeth said she sketched directly onto the bell and adjusted the images to accommodate the round edges. From there, she painted the background and then the colorful details. Lastly, she glued on pieces from the St. Joseph’s school paper.
In her design, she said she really wanted to represent the diversity that community leaders said was so important to the neighborhood.
“I have a statue and then a door of a mosque that was kind of representing three different religions that are important in the area,” Reeth said. “(It represents) this idea of cultural diversity and the diversity of ages and just this idea of life and how City Avenue is really the border and an entrance to Philadelphia and welcoming people to the city.”
City officials were unable to provide a timeline for when the bells will be installed in the neighborhoods.
