If you’ve been to the Philadelphia International Airport anytime since October 2011, you may have noticed the huge mural on the parking garages that face Interstate 95 and wondered, “What is that?”
The mural, called “How Philly Moves,” is the second largest mural in the world, spanning 85,000 square feet. It features a number of Philadelphia dancers in the midst of dancing and is based on the photography and design of Jacques-Jean “JJ” Tiziou. It was created to give travelers a taste of what Philadelphia is about.
The Idea
Rina Cutler, the Deputy Mayor of Transportation and Utilities, inspired the mural idea. She got stuck in traffic near the airport and kept staring at the concrete parking garages, so she got in touch with the Mural Arts Program (the nation’s largest mural program) to see if they could help her transform the visual into something more inviting for Philly’s residents and visitors. It took over 1,000 painters over two years to complete the mural and is now considered a “postcard image for the city.”
Permanent Exhibit
In addition to the mural, there is a permanent exhibit that features 162 of Tiziou’s still photography images of Philadelphia dancers. This exhibit is also called “How Philly Moves” and is featured in the B-C Terminal Baggage Claim.