Steven Powers

If you are anywhere near Philly get off Facebook NOW and go check this out. In West Philadelphia born and praised is Steven Powers new project "A Love Letter For You". It covers some 50 rooftops and walls along the Market elevated train between 63rd and 45th street.

Powers is a prominent sign painter most recently known for his work at Coney Island his Fulbright residency in Ireland and his penchant for spraying rollup doors under the guise of the Exterior Surface Protection Organization or ESPO as they pronounce it in the hood. For this project however Powers not only rippled the rooftop ponds with some wit and latex paint but started his own sign school and shop to provide training for area youth. I'm completely in awe of this type of local outreach and look forward to anything Powers-related in the coming months, years, and decades.

To read more about Steve's connection to the project and his trajectory from painting rooftops in '89 to ah, well painting rooftops in '09 read this awesome post by him.

This is by far the most inspiring public works project I've seen sprout up since I can remember!

Love Letter is an unprecedented public art project by Steve Powers and The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. It is funded by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative.

ps. interviews w/ S. Powers are ridiculous. check this one out with LAB magazine.