River Flow
Artist: Eleanor Grosch
Curator: Mural Miles
Made Possible by: Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
“River Flow” by Eleanor Grosch celebrates the vibrant ecosystem of activity found along the Schuylkill River Trail, while reflecting on the relationship between human and natural movement. The artwork serves as a gateway, a gathering place, a starting point, a finish line, and a space for reflection for the many people who experience the trail each day.
The mural stands at Lloyd Hall, a historic building named in honor of Fairmount Park Commissioner and former Pennsylvania State Senator James R. Lloyd. Today, Lloyd Hall serves as one of Philadelphia’s most active recreation centers, providing after-school programs, athletic leagues, and an important gathering place for residents and visitors exploring the Schuylkill River Banks.
It also marks the entrance to Boathouse Row, a National Historic Landmark on the east bank of the Schuylkill River. Its 15 distinctive Victorian boathouses have long served as a center of American rowing and remain among Philadelphia’s most recognizable landmarks.
From running and rowing to walking, cycling, skateboarding, yoga, and surrey riding, this artwork showcases the many ways people engage with the Schuykill River and Fairmount Park. It celebrates the many opportunities for recreation while depicting the diversity of Philadelphians through a broad range of ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and physical abilities.
Natural elements are woven throughout the mural as well, featuring the plants, wildlife, and landmarks found along the Schuylkill River Trail. Like the people who use the trail, these living systems are constantly moving, changing, and adapting, shaping the character of the riverbanks over time.
The illustration was designed by graphic designer Eleanor Grosch, a native of Philadelphia. The digital artwork was printed onto eleven aluminum panels, protected with an anti-graffiti coating, and mounted to the side of a storage unit used by Wheel Fun Rentals to store bicycles, surreys, and e-bikes available for use along the trail.
Artist Eleanor Grosch reflected on her work by saying:
“Cycling on the Schuylkill River Trail was my introduction to riding beyond the neighborhoods of South Philly. I rode in the spring and summer for exercise with my husband and friends, and in the fall and winter to visit people out in East Falls and beyond. It’s such a fun way to get where you want to go. Being active has become even more important to me now, but those rides along the river were my starting point. I hope that people cycling, walking, running, or playing will find their introduction to a life of motion on the trail too.”
