Independence Hall seen through the Radio Silence backdrop at the July 30 live performance.
Photo by Steve Weinik.
Michael Rakowitz and Mural Arts have launched a multi-episode radio broadcast, kickstarted by a large-scale performance on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia. Radio Silence, conceived specifically for Philadelphia, was inspired by famed Iraqi broadcaster Bahjat Abdulwahed, who lived in the city as a refugee until his death in 2016. The project interweaves dreams and memories from Iraq, America, and in-between into a soundscape of the contemporary refugee experience. Loraine Ballard Morrill spoke with Rakowitz and Mural Arts Founder and Executive Director Jane Golden.