AT&T Mural Arts Philadelphia

Convergence, 2019, AT&T and Mural Arts Philadelphia

Permanent Outdoor Public Art Commission

63 x 124′ mural painting
AT&T Building, 25th & South Streets, Philadelphia

Inspired by river currents and the energetic crisscrossing of river, railroad, trails, roads, bridges, and ramps, Convergence is a mural meditation on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. At close to 7,800 square feet, this work of public art is Rutstein’s first major mural project. Rutstein is known for her work at the intersection of art, science, and technology, and has combined these into one vibrant, geometric design on a building belonging to technology and entertainment company AT&T. Soaring above the popular Schuylkill Banks multi-use trail , Convergence evokes facets of light on water, aerial maps, tectonic processes, intersections of roads and bridges, and connective pathways.

The bright warm colors of the left wall are a symbolic reference to the annual, African Odunde Festival which takes place on neighboring South Street, and begins with a ceremonial offering of fruit and flowers into the river from the adjacent South Street Bridge.The bold and graphic nature of the mural is meant to have a compelling presence from close and distant vantage points. The mural’s prime location invites the attention and imagination of millions of pedestrians and cyclists who use the Schuylkill River Trail and Banks Boardwalk, kayakers on the river, drivers traveling the Schuylkill Expressway, and viewers beyond in Center City and West Philadelphia. “Convergence” celebrates a stretch of the Schuylkill River that brings together diverse forms of transport, pathways, culture and the people of Philadelphia.