1. Date: July 27, 2010
For Release: Immediate
Contact: Suzanne Mooney, VP/Marketing Director
Phone: 215-789-4198
Philadelphia’s First Monochromes Project to be Unveiled
Philadelphia, PA…Art company SSEWARD LLC and its Monochromes Project will be on hand at the official
unveiling of its latest piece in collaboration with Hyperion Bank at a reception in the Bank’s headquarters lobby
at 2nd & Girard Avenue on August 12 at 7 pm. Customers, local residents, businesses and the art community are
all invited to attend the ceremony.
Started in 2009, The Monochromes Project (“One Color Many Artists”) is a collaborative art project that uses
only found and second-hand materials to construct an original art form of a designated color. SSEWARD has a
formula for each piece: People collect “pigment”, which they bring to a coloring party. Artists log their hours
and then get paid a portion of whatever the piece sells for. The idea is to foster a livelihood for artists. In this
case more than 40 local artists including well known names like Piper Brett, Sarah O'Donnell, Eva Wylie, Nate
Gertner, Reese Juel and Masha Badinter all worked on creating the piece. Contemporary art gallery and pioneer
of burgeoning North Philadelphia art scene, Little Berlin, housed the newest SSEWARD project during its
creation in their group exhibition called “Value City.”
Recognized by the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia for the restoration of their stunning red brick
building, Hyperion Bank stands on the corner of 2nd and Girard, in the Northern Liberties area of the city, as a
symbol of revitalization and urban development. “Artists also play a key role in urban development. Looking
for cheap studio and exhibition space, artists pioneer an area and initiate the revitalization process. The presence
of a community focused institution like Hyperion Bank confirms and strengthens that revitalization,” said
SSEWARD founder Scott Bickmore. SSEWARD sees this particular collaboration with Hyperion Bank as a
way to acknowledge and encourage this synergy that exists in developing areas.
“During an economic crisis, especially with banks under the microscope, the orange monochrome represents
creative and responsible stewardship. With this collaboration, Hyperion Bank and SSEWARD are creating jobs,
encouraging urban development, re-purposing materials, and giving the art world another reason to put
Philadelphia on the map,” stated Joe Matisoff, President and CEO of Hyperion Bank.
The Bank selected the August 12th unveiling date to tie-in with 2nd Thursdays. Organized by the newly re-
formed Girard Business & Arts Association, 2nd Thursdays is a monthly ‘open house’ environment where local
businesses stay open late and feature specials, entertainment, art exhibits and a general fun atmosphere up and
down the Girard Avenue corridor from Frankford Avenue to 8th Street and surrounding areas including the
Crane Arts Building at 1400 N. American Street.
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199 W. Girard Ave ~ Philadelphia ~ PA ~ 19123 ~ (215) 789-4200