Then Now and All
Around Celebration

Then Now and All Around is a new permanent mural by artist and scientific illustrator Jane Kim (@inkdwell) at 2331 Frankford Avenue. The November 20 celebration honors the artist, partners, and research behind the project, followed by an opportunity to join a guided neighborhood bird walk with @strawberrypiehill and @yeepix. No experience is needed, and binoculars are included. The artwork highlights 21 species observed in Philadelphia from the 1800s to 2021, tracing an ecosystem in constant motion and documenting how the choices people make can support or harm populations of plants, birds, insects, and fish. Its hyperlocal stories include the Black Vulture and Glossy Ibis becoming increasingly regular, the Bald Eagle and Osprey rebounding from near-extinction, the disappearance of Nuttall’s Mudflower and the Passenger Pigeon, and the Ironcolor Shiner becoming nearly extirpated. The mural considers forces including climate change, hunting, shoreline development, conservation, environmental protections, and dam removals.