Indelible

Indelible. , Developed as a memory wall, Indelible quotes from the Declaration of Independence as printed by John Dunlap by order of Congress in 1776. The artwork restores the condemnation of slave trade passage that was deleted by Congress from the original draft of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson., The impression of facades in stucco and glass symbolically reestablishes the 18th century scale of the residential neighborhood that once existed on this site. The columns of text commemorate Philadelphia as one of the leading publishing centers in colonial America and the major role played by the printing press in support of the revolutionary cause., Quotes selected refer to "rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and are reproduced from the Declaration of Independence as printed by order of Congress. Four floating "windows" emphasize the condemnation of slave trade passage that was a part of the original draft but ultimately erased by Congress in 1776. Selected quotations presenting groups of people who were left out of the Declaration of Independence appear in the largest "window.", The work is intended to expand awareness and consideration of how different history might have been had the passage condemning slave trade not been erased from the Declaration of Independence., An original artwork commissioned by the City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts and Culture under the Percent for Art Program in cooperation with the Independence Visitor Center, the National Constitution Center, and the National Park Service.