First of Phillip Adams’s “Industrious Light” Murals Debuts at Ortlieb’s
Philadelphia artist Phillip Adams just completed the first in his “Industrious Light” series of murals that is dedicated to Philly’s history in the brewing, textile, tool-making and railroad industries. And of course he started with the most important (or at least most fun)—brewing—with a gorgeous, antique-looking mural splashed on the side of Ortlieb’s Brewery in Northern Liberties.
The work at Ortlieb’s—like forthcoming works in the series—was created with charcoal to evoke a sense of yesterday. It depicts original equipment from the Brewery and overlooks the former site of the business, which is located about a block from the spot where America’s first lager beer was brewed in 1840.
Adams is undertaking “Industrious Light” in partnership with Hidden City Philadelphia, the Philadelphia History Truck and, of course, Mural Arts. Next up in the series? Mural Arts’ RJ Rushmore tells me it will be located in East Kensington at Frankford and Hagert streets, on a building across the street from Philadelphia Brewing Company that’s being used by Rowhouse Spirits. Work will be starting on that next month.
Industrious Light: Ortlieb’s Brewery will be officially dedicated this Friday night, November 21st, starting at 4:30 p.m. Stick around afterward for a happy hour and performance by Philly band Air Is Human.
