The Forman Arts Initiative (FAI) and Mural Arts Philadelphia have teamed up with The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) and the talented artist duo Nadia Hironaka and Matthew Suib (Hironaka & Suib) for a citywide art installation of public works debuting in early 2025.
Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs’ mission is to promote the well-being of Philadelphia’s immigrant communities and facilitating their successful inclusion into the city’s civic, economic and cultural life. This office proposes and implements policies and fosters programs, much like this, to ensure foreign born residents and their children can be successful in Philadelphia.
“Thoughtfully and strategically engaging residents and learning from them how best to serve the needs of Philadelphia’s immigrant community is central to our office’s approach to making Philadelphia a Welcoming City,” said Amy Eusebio, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We also know how powerful a tool art can be in bringing communities together to tell their stories. Therefore, the goals of Public Works and the ambitions of Nadia and Matthew align perfectly with our office’s approach to serving residents.”
The Public Works residency program fosters collaborations between artists and government agencies. These collaborations of art strengthen connections between the agency’s work and the communities in which they serve. Philadelphia is among some of the biggest culturally diverse cities in the country. However, what is so amazing about a collaboration like this is the idea of artists being the voices behind the changes they want to see.
“Philadelphia is incredibly fortunate to have philanthropists like Jennifer Rice and Michael Forman who continue to support and enrich our city’s arts and culture programs and institutions,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.
“The City is grateful and proud to partner with them, the artists and Mural Arts on this most recent public works project that we know will bring more attention to the challenges our city’s immigrants face, as well as their many contributions that make Philadelphia even more vibrant and diverse.”
Hironaka & Suib are Philadelphia-based artists who have been in collaboration since the late 2000’s. The duo has won several awards, and their work is popularly shared across the United States and in other countries. They have been hard at work alongside OIA since April of this year, developing a public art project to foster a deeper understanding of immigrant challenges, triumphs, and the diverse community narratives within the City of Philadelphia. Hironaka & Suib share their inspiration and personal connections to their artistry.
“As colleagues, collaborators, neighbors, friends, family, children, and grandchildren of immigrants, immigration stories are woven intricately into our own lives,” they said. “Our work with moving images and installations often celebrates unheard stories and alternative perspectives on history and culture. The work of OIA is perhaps more critical now than ever.”
With a $40,000 award from FAI and Mural Arts, this duo will be able to truly foster the message and share stories that are sure to shed light on the initiative.
Philadelphia’s rich history of immigration and cultural diversity serves as a powerful backdrop for this project. The artists’ focus is to highlight Philadelphia’s immigrant populations, and how the City’s strength is reinforced by its diversity. They plan to deliver these stories through alternative lenses.
FAI executive director Adjoa Jones de Almeida says, “Philadelphia is one of the most diverse cities in the country, with a centuries-old history of immigrants arriving from Latin America, China, the Caribbean, Europe, and elsewhere, and interfacing with non-immigrant communities, like African Americans and Native Americans.”
Close to16 percent of Philadelphia’s population is born outside the United States. That is 2 percent higher than the nations average, ranking Philadelphia number 5 among U.S. cities that are home to foreign-born residents.
She continues, “An enormous part of what continues to make Philadelphia so culturally and creatively vibrant is this cultural mix and the ongoing addition of new immigrant communities.”
FAI co-founders, Jennifer Rice and Michael Forman say they are excited to be working with Mural Arts to expand the role of art in Philadelphia. Mural Arts’ Executive Director, Jane Golden says they are equally as excited to be in partnership once again and look forward to the work to be created.
This project is not only a celebration of diversity, but a platform for highlighting the essential roles immigrants play in shaping culture. Art has an incredible ability to change perspectives and uncover new outlooks, and I believe that this project will do just that for Philadelphia.
Stay tuned for more updates on this incredible collaboration. OIA eagerly anticipates the launch of this installation.
More information about our collaborators:
About the Artists: Nadia Hironaka and Matthew Suib are Philadelphia-based artists who have been collaborators since 2008. They are recipients of several honored awards, and their work has been widely exhibited both domestically and abroad. Read more about their work.
About Forman Arts Initiative: Forman Arts Initiative (FAI) is dedicated to supporting artists and cultural organizations in Philadelphia and expanding the role of art in local communities through programming, convenings, and advocacy. For more information, visit www.formanartsinitiative.org.
About Mural Arts: Mural Arts Philadelphia is the nation’s largest public art program, dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative and equitable process, creating over 4,300 artworks that have transformed public spaces and individual lives. For more information, call 215-685-0750 or visit muralarts.org.
