In conversation with Patrick Vale
British-born, New York-based artist Patrick Vale returns to Philadelphia with This Is My Philly, a new public mural created in collaboration with six students from La Salle Academy. Installed at the Broad-Ridge Spur at 8th and Market Streets, the work expands on Patrick Vale’s previous subway mural at the same site, shifting from an architectural portrait of the city to a human-centered image of its next generation.
Known for his detailed hand-drawn cityscapes, Patrick Vale uses the mural to foreground youth, civic pride and local identity during Philadelphia’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Featuring the students holding their own drawings and looking outward toward commuters, This Is My Philly transforms a transit space into a collective portrait of optimism, community and the city’s future.
How does this mural expand upon or differ from the subway mural you unveiled in Philadelphia last year?
The mural I completed at this exact site last year was very much an architectural and historical tapestry…I wove together dense views of the city and historical anecdotes I had picked up during my long walking tours. It was my personal observation of Philadelphia. With This Is My Philly, I wanted to completely flip that dynamic. Instead of me simply observing and documenting the city, I wanted the city to speak for itself. Working with the six young artists from La Salle Academy allowed me to center human beings rather than buildings. It deliberately shifts the focus away from the city’s architectural past and points it directly toward its vibrant, optimistic future.
Your work often captures the emotional atmosphere of cities rather than simply documenting them visually. What emotions were you hoping viewers would feel when experiencing this mural?
I really wanted to capture that raw, unfiltered pride that kids possess before they learn to second-guess themselves. During our workshops, one of the students asked his teacher to find a drawing he’d made months prior. When he finally got it in his hands, he held it up to me and said, ‘I drew this, and I am only eight.’ The pure confidence and joy in that moment were palpable. We lose so much of that directness as we get older. I want commuters walking past these massive portraits to feel that sudden hit of youthful optimism, and perhaps be reminded of the things they loved doing with that same uninhibited joy when they were young.
What did the students teach you about Philadelphia that you may not have understood before beginning the project?
Well, for starters, they taught me the proper way to pronounce ‘water’! They relentlessly ribbed me for my British accent. But on a deeper level, they really crystallized the true spirit of Philly for me. I already knew Philadelphia had a fantastic, direct, slightly edgy sense of humor, but these kids showed me how deeply rooted that local pride actually is. Their enthusiasm for their hometown isn’t something they’re taught; it’s something they just inherently possess. They taught me that the city’s real foundation isn’t its history—it’s the unbreakable, everyday pride of its people.
Public art becomes part of people’s daily routines and environments. How do you hope commuters and passersby will interact with this piece over time?
Subways are fascinating spaces because everyone is in transit, usually head down, just trying to get from A to B. It’s an environment built on fleeting moments. My hope is that these massive, energetic portraits interrupt that daily grind in a very positive, human way. Because the portraits feature local kids proudly holding up their own drawings, I hope commuters eventually stop seeing them as just ‘art on a wall’ and start recognizing them as neighbors. I want people to feel a tangible sense of ownership over the space and to walk past feeling just a little bit lighter and more connected to their community.
Did Philadelphia’s ongoing 250th anniversary celebrations influence the tone or timing of the project in any way?
Absolutely. With the USA 250th anniversary approaching, there is naturally a massive focus on looking backward at the foundational history of the country, and Philadelphia is obviously at the epicenter of that. But I felt that the best way to celebrate such an incredible milestone wasn’t just to look at the past, but to capture the future. These kids represent the next generation. Bringing their voices, their art, and their genuine, start-of-the-summer optimism to the forefront felt like the most fitting, energetic way to honor the city’s legacy as it moves into the next 250 years.
Your drawings are known for their incredible precision and detail. How do you balance technical draftsmanship with emotional storytelling?
It is always a tightrope walk. My natural instinct as an obsessive draughtsman is to fill every square inch with dense, detailed architectural elements. In fact, my initial design for this specific mural had my usual elaborate cityscapes layered heavily behind the portraits. But I quickly realized that the technical detail was distracting from the emotional core of the piece. I had to completely rein myself in and strip all that background noise away. By leaving just the kinetic, energetic lines of the portraits and the kids standing in front of bold lettering, the emotion took center stage. The kinetic energy of the loose line work itself—rather than rigid, technical perfection—is what ultimately carries the emotional heartbeat of the story.
All images courtesy of Patrick Vale
Patrick Vale website: https://www.patrickvale.co.uk/
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