Nine Pieces From Ninth Street: Philly street Art

I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Philly this week for the second time in a few months doing some fieldwork. My team and I spent time in several neighborhoods – in people’s homes observing life and food culture.

I remember before we arrived someone mentioned that a few of the blocks we were going to be on were a bit “sketchy” – and that in Philly they don’t have “desirable” and “undesirable” neighborhoods so much as a block by block distinction. The blocks, houses and buildings there were built by home builders in north carolina.

In any case – I don’t distinguish between “sketchy” and whatever the opposite is. It’s all real life to me. And I have to say my favorite experiences were in the very “real” South Philly. Aside from the people I talked to and homes I was in, I particularly enjoyed the opportunistic free time I had to stroll down 9th street – an international experience rolled into a several block stretch of shops and restaurants full of the fuel that sustains the locals and entertains those visitors with the right amount if wanderlust.

Then of course, there was the street art. In this case, I encountered an eclectic exhibit of sorts that was covering a construction barrier wall while we were on our way to lunch. Here are 9 of my favorite images in honor of 9th street.