North Philadelphia History Festival: "Places of Power - Villa Africana Colobó Garden"

The North Philadelphia History Festival (NPHF) is a cultural celebration of the African American and Puerto Rican communities in North Philadelphia. Across four days, historic sites along Ridge Avenue, North Broad Street and other locales will be transformed into living exhibits created by artists, historians, curators and other cultural workers. These multimedia projects and events will explore the emergence and impact of these communities in the 19th and 20th century.

PROJECTS:

Places of Power - Villa Africana Colobó Garden
Artists: Iris Brown, Norris Square Neighborhood Project & Anula Shetty and Michael Kuetemeyer, Termite TV Collective
Category: AR Installation
Location: Villa Africana Colobó Garden, 2267 N Palethorp St
Date & Time: Saturday, July 26th - Reception: 12-2PM , Open Hours/Tours: 11-6PM

Places of Power is an immersive AR/VR documentary, public art, and community media project that celebrates the West African diaspora in Puerto Rican culture and the legacy of Grupo Motivos, a group of Puerto Rican women who transformed vacant city lots into vibrant community gardens. Project Directors Anula Shetty, Iris Brown, and Michael Kuetemeyer facilitated workshops with long-term residents to share the oral histories and memories of the Latine community in North Philadelphia. Come and explore the augmented reality artwork and stories embedded in this special garden. The project is a collaboration of Termite TV Collective and the Norris Square Neighborhood Project. Visit the interactive virtual tour at https://termite.org/colobo