“To The Polls,” the bi-annual collaboration between Mural Arts and artist Conrad Benner, is back in LOVE Park this fall. The project, which aims to bolster voter turnout, features the work of six Philly-based artists and remains in the park until Election Day.
Benner, curator of “To The Polls” and founder of the art blog Streets Dept, wants everyone who sees the murals to consider the impact and importance of Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes — and their own vote.
“The way it stands now, Pennsylvania has so much power to pick the next president,” said Benner, who also hosts the WHYY podcast “Art Outside.” “And then because of that, Philadelphia, the biggest city in the state, and our suburbs have enormous power, so I want people to feel that.”
Muralist and graphic designer Alloyius Mcilwaine aimed to create something that speaks to many kinds of Philly voters. He emphasizes the recent history behind all adults with American citizenship being able to vote.
“This wasn’t just a right for everyone,” he said. “People had to fight for it, from the Women’s Suffrage movement to the Civil Rights movement, so I wanted to create a piece of a strong, recognizable American symbol, encouraging people to use that right that people fought for.”
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Hawk Krall and Serena Saunders’ paintings also appeal to a broader audience. The title of Krall’s piece, “Philly Will Decide,” lies in the center of his mural. The slogan was coined by Benner and expresses the message he and Mural Arts want people to grasp from the collection. Saunders’ work, on the other hand, reads “Hope rises,” and features brighter colors to emulate the uplifted energy of people who want to vote.
The efforts of the muralists have not gone unnoticed. Nyla Monastero, an assistant public relations coordinator, was thrilled to see the project and made sure to take pictures.
“For me, it’s definitely very inspiring just knowing that we’re in the City of Brotherly Love,” Monastero said. “Philadelphia’s all about independence, and because of that, it’s really pushing us to get out there and to voice our opinions and make a difference.”
While some artists used imagery rooted in the broadest topics of patriotism and democracy, others incorporated their identities to convey the significance of voting in presidential elections.
Isabella Akhtarshenas is an Iranian American multidisciplinary artist who was originally unsure about whether or not to participate in the presidential election this year. Her mural displays a woman in front of an American flag with the colors of a watermelon, a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
“With this mural, I wanted to highlight my national identity and also global solidarity,” she said. “I wanted to also illustrate the journey from doubt of whether or not I’ll be voting to a conviction of ‘Yes, I am going to vote,’ with this question mark and exclamation mark.”
Jeffy Thomas is an artist, born in India, a permanent resident of the U.S., and a new father. Thomas cannot vote as a noncitizen, so his views cannot translate directly to the ballot box. His piece, titled “Our Shared Future,” serves as a reminder for those who can vote that their decisions impact people who do not have that right.
“Being a permanent resident, I wanted to empower those voices and have people recognize that there is power in their vote,” Thomas says, “and it also determines how our kids get to move in this world and how we get to move in this world.”
Nicole Nikolich, known as Lace in the Moon, wants to share a positive outlook on voting despite the growing pessimism she senses toward the main party candidates. The crochet installation artist aims to assert herself as a member of the LGBTQ community who votes with pride.
“I crocheted a seven-and-a-half-foot drag queen who’s wearing a really large rainbow dress, and she is surrounded by three voting machines from like the 1950s and ‘60s,” Nikolich said. “I like the juxtaposition of old-school voting motifs mixed with a really current issue.”
All the muralists have received positive feedback on their art. Nikolich said that at the end of conversations, she has asked if people are registered to vote.
While other efforts to garner voters are important, Benner believes art plays a unique role. “Art can make you feel things,” he said. “Art can motivate you, and that’s what we’re trying to do out here.”
