The culmination of a year-long engagement between Monument Lab and Philadelphia-based artists Miguel Horn and Symone Salib, Held: A Monument Lab Residency Exhibition explores belonging and engagement across two distinctive practices. Through the theme of “exchange,” each artist worked with each other, Monument Lab collaborators, and neighborhood partners to explore what it means to create prototype monuments — experimental, smaller-scale versions of big ideas to take with them as they move into the next stage of their public practice.

This exhibition invites audiences to engage with each artwork through acts of physical touch. Whether contributing a written sentiment to Salib’s “The Weight of Patterns” or grasping Horn’s iconic torch in “With Stand | With Hold,” visitors are encouraged to reflect on their personal histories and engage with art through intimate and dynamic ways

ABOUT MONUMENT LAB ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The Monument Lab Artist Residency Program launched in 2024 to support emerging public artists in the city of Philadelphia. Through the theme of “exchange,” the program encourages and resources artists to evolve their practice and prepare for future large-scale public art commission opportunities while building stronger relationships within and across the city’s neighborhoods.

Inaugural artists-in-residence Miguel Horn and Symone Salib have been encouraged to experiment with monumental materials and methods; foster neighborhood-based relationships; and join Monument Lab’s growing community of local, national, and transnational monument changemakers. Through this residency, Monument Lab seeks to contribute to the ecosystem of public art practitioners and support emerging artists in growing their bodies of work through place-based relationships.

CURATOR & PROJECT MANAGER
Gina Ciralli

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Paul Farber

MONUMENT LAB RESIDENCY TEAM
Matthew Callinan, Kristen Giannantonio, Jenn McTague, Isabel Oberlender, Aubree Penney, Stephani Pescitelli, Julie Rhoad, Bella Rodriguez, Dina Paola Rodriguez, Nico Rodriguez, Cleary Rubinos and Elliot Waters-Fleming

DESIGN
Jonai Gibson-Selix and William Roy Hodgson

2024 OPEN CALL JURY
Conrad Benner, Jason Chen, Jeanette Lloyd, Hallie Ringle, Ginger Rudolph, TK Smith, Monica Zimmerman 

PROGRAMMATIC PARTNERS
Al-Bustan: Seeds of Culture, Spiral Q

MONUMENT LAB BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tiffany Tavarez(Chair), Lola Bakare (Secretary), Monica O. Montgomery (Vice Chair), Stephan Nicoleau (Treasurer), Michelle Angela Ortiz, Ellery Roberts Biddle, Amari Johnson, Samala and Kirk Savage

Lead support for the Monument Lab Artist Residency is provided by the William Penn Foundation, with additional support from the Ogilvie Family Foundation. In-kind support has been provided by Urban Art Projects (UAP). Programmatic partners include Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture and Spiral Q.