TAKE IT TO CHURCH: The Episcopal sanctuary with unorthodox art

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TAKE IT TO CHURCH: The Episcopal sanctuary with unorthodox art

POSTED: Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 6:05 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass

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Nestled on the corner of 18th and Diamond streets in North Philadelphia is the Church of the Advocate. And while it's outside appearance may be seemingly straight forward, the interior, adorned with highly controversial art, is anything but. The Reverend Paul Washington commissioned these murals to display, document, and blend significant Biblical stories and themes with infamous events and eras in American history — such as slavery and the Civil Rights movement. Like many of us know, most churches maintain the same

form of artwork in its chapels, usually a few stained glass images portraying important religious figures. But the Church of the Advocate, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996, steered clear of convention, and now proudly displays a collection of shocking and unapologetic murals covering a majority of the walls of the building. The highly explicit paintings, created in a span of three years by artists Walter Edmonds and Richard Watson in the mid-1970s, use vivid color and imagery to send the message of injustice and torment across, and create one of the most unique church-going experience you can imagine. Regardless of your denomination, the church's murals bring a very interesting perspective into religion and history, and are definitely worth checking out.

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