On March 29, 2023, SEPTA – in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia – held a dedication of the mural the Cloud in Your Teacup which took place on the 2100 block of Cuthbert Street.
This meditative mural done by Adriana Amador-Chacon, Daniel Lipschutz, Monica Mathieu, and Joshua Sarantitis, reflects on the teaching philosophy that all sentient beings are interrelated. That the cloud in the sky is no different from the tea in your cup. The design takes viewers through a visual metamorphosis from DNA, cells, leaves, and trees to our solar system and back. From hexagonal beehive shapes to the organic and free flowing branches in our depiction of the cosmic tree – each of the 17 panels (there are 17 letters that make up Cloud in Your Teacup) can stand on its own as a chapter in this circular narrative. By the end of the mural; reading left to right one finds a teacup with clouds emerging. The participants in Color Me Back are represented by the hand holding the teacup – though many are considered “other” by the fact of being houseless – this mural acts as a metaphor for this non-separation, this interbeing.
This mural is an extension of the mural Reach High and You Will Go Far that Josh Sarantitis completed 22 years ago, diagonal to this location on 20th and Arch. The girl in that mural has a tree growing from her hands. In Cloud in Your Teacup this same idea is iterated to a greater level of complexity and the tree is now full grown.
There are many people in the city of Philadelphia and cities across the country who are struggling with homelessness, addiction, and feeling disenfranchised from the communities within which they live. Real engagement with our neighbors experiencing these challenges is how we find solutions that work. It is how we make our city a better place to live, work, and play for everyone.
The Color Me Back initiative is a program that does just that. It directly impacts the people in our community through the opportunities it creates the services it offers – and the art it produces around Philadelphia. Color Me Back builds a bridge from disparity and disconnect to hope and connection as it reunites participants to their humanness and creativity while reminding them of their ability to contribute to their communities.
The murals beautify our city and creates the opportunity for curiosity around the images they depict. They make art accessible to entirely new audiences and encourage visitors to engage with Philadelphia in fresh, thoughtful ways.
“SEPTA is so proud to be in partnership with this effective and meaningful program that helps our neighbors and enhances our transit system,” says SEPTA’s General Manager and CEO, Leslie S. Richards. “SEPTA works to connect people with their world by getting them to where they need and want to be. These beautiful murals enhance that experience for our riders, creating spaces that are colorful, welcoming, and interesting”.
The vibrant art in SEPTA stations and platforms reminds riders that they are part of, and connected to, a dynamic, diverse, cultural community as they engage with our city.
For more information about Mural Arts Philadelphia and future projects around the city – call 215-685-0750 or visit muralarts.org.