Hall's Hill/High View Park (HHHVP)
Hall's Hill/High View Park (HHHVP) commemorates the history and values of this predominantly African-American community. In 2004, artist Winnie Owens-Hart, a native of Hall's Hill, was commissioned to develop two artworks to reflect on the neighborhood's history.
Memory Bricks grew out of ArtsWork, a summer employment program for creative youth. Under the direction of Owens-Hart, seven apprentices created decorative bricks and organized three community events where residents could also customize their bricks. Images of Sankofa (a West African symbol representing learning from the past), churches, and bibles were inscribed into the bricks, as well as names of HHHVP residents and ancestors. These images are visual reminders of the neighborhood’s past and now line the park's oval walkway on the west side.
The apprentices who worked on this project are Jeffrey Augustine, Tristan Benjamin, Marie Cosgrove-Davies, Alexandra Krafchek, Delanta Neal, Julia Siple, and Jeannette Yue.
The artist also created The Family at the location, symbolizing HHHVP’s strong sense of community. The Family is a monumental steel sculpture of a man, woman, and child with clasped hands. Arranged in a triangular configuration, this grouping symbolizes unity among families and residents of the neighborhood. The woman’s skirt is beautified with patterned relief, representing traditional African scarification. Within this design is Braille text that acknowledges families' vital role in the neighborhood. Five letters, HHHVP, stand on the park's west side and provide prominent neighborhood identification.
The diverse works of ceramic artist Winnie Owens-Hart reflect an inclination to employ clay as a repository of tradition, history, and memory. Throughout her career as a teacher, an author, and a handbuilt potter, Winnie has used clay to touch on women and racial issues — and encourage the nation never to forget the factor of race in its historical origins.
Winnie received her BA from the Philadelphia College of Art and MFA from Howard University, where she later taught ceramics. She’s received numerous awards and honors, including a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Lifetime Achievement in the Craft Arts Award.
