A new art installation is brightening up the area under the Market-Frankford Line in Kensington with florals, stars, mythical creatures and political statements.
More than 400 triangular paintings now adorn the gusset plates from the Huntington to Tioga stops, about 1.4 miles, along Kensington Avenue. Gusset plates are the thick, steel structures that connect the horizontal beams to the columns which hold the rails above street level.
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The designs were made by more than 500 residents over 30 painting sessions in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia, Councilmember Quetcy Lozada’s office and the Impact Services nonprofit. Each painting is different, ranging from motifs of nature to constellations to neighborhood-inspired scenes. Others feature written text and abstract art.
“Each gusset is a story of hope, each brushstroke is a window into the heart of a resident that calls this community home,” Lozada said in a statement.
According to Mural Arts, the Gusset Plate Project was primarily led by its Color Me Back program that offers same-day work and pay to homeless and low-income residents.
The designs are part of Heart of Kensington Creates, a larger effort to beautify the neighborhood. In addition to the gussets, the initiative includes six large-scale murals, six smaller ones, three new galleries and the Afromation Avenue project — street sign installations featuring positive affirmations designed by Black artists.
Here’s a look at some of the designs under the train:
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