A Farewell to Odili Donald Odita’s Abstract South Broad Street Mural

Philly, it looks like we’re about to loose one of my favorite murals on South Broad Street: Our House by artist Odili Donald Odita, created with Mural Arts Philadelphia and located at Broad and Bainbridge streets. Construction fences were being put up along the lot that stood next to Odili’s mural when I took this photo a couple of weeks ago, and as of yesterday floors have risen from the lot completely covering the mural.

Odili Donald Odita’s mural was created in the fall of 2015. As the artist describes, “[the mural] highlights the active role that citizens and organizations play in filling the institutional voids present in underserved neighborhoods. The weaving of color and form represents the fabric of institutions and residents whose joint involvement and commitment make Philadelphia a vibrant community.”

This was one of my favorites because South Broad Street (and South Philly generally) has a LOT of very collage-y figurative murals; murals to famous musicians and local sports teams and even other artists, which are all well and good. But I always found Odili’s abstract mural a refreshing break from that standard.

It’ll surely be missed!