In "Roots of Resilience," sixteen artists were selected from a call for applications to design flags that tell stories of hope, strength, and community, honoring the journeys of those who made Philly their home. From textiles to digital art, these powerful flags will fly at Spruce Street Harbor Park from May 22, 2026, to September 7, 2026.
About the Flag:
This flag features the phrase "A FAMILY SURVIVED TODAY" in white lettering against a stark black background. This work is a site-specific iteration of my ongoing series Survived Today (2024–), aligned with Lucille Clifton’s poem "Won't you celebrate with me": "Come celebrate / with me that everyday/something has tried to kill me / and has failed." As a child of immigrants, Ijeoma finds this theme personal. The flag honors the immigrant experience not just as historical endurance, but as an active, recurring triumph. By centering the word "Family," the design highlights the interconnected unit that sustains this survival. The stark, high-contrast aesthetic ensures clarity, transforming the flag into a public declaration that resilience is an ongoing process.
About the Artist:
Ekene Ijeoma is a Nigerian-American conceptual artist and computational designer who researches social, political, and environmental systems to develop multimedia works that expose inequities and empower communities. From 2019–2024, he founded and directed the Poetic Justice Group at MIT Media Lab, a lab for reimagining social justice through art. He also founded Black Forest, a nationwide initiative planting trees as living monuments. His work has been presented by the Boston Public Art Triennial, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Kennedy Center, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis. He lives and works in New York, NY.
