Written in Wood: A Decade of the CAW Mural

Autumn 2022 marks the 10 th anniversary of “Written in Wood,” the mural on the exterior wall of The Center for Art in Wood facing Quarry Street.
“Written in Wood” provides passersby with a preview of the Museum’s permanent collection. 96 black silhouettes occupy a woodgrain background. Upon closer inspection, the silhouettes reveal themselves as objects in the collection. The background is made from outlines of the silhouettes, stretched to create the illusion of planked woodgrain.
Led by artist Ben Volta, the mural was completed in collaboration between the Center for Art in Wood, Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restorative Justice UILD, and a committee of Old City community members.
The mural highlights the past, upholds the present, and reveals the future of art, craft, and design in wood.