Large mural on Hahnemann Hospital ripped off by wind

A 12,500-square-foot mural that adorns the wall of Hahnemann Hospital on North Broad was ripped off by high winds today, crushing two cars on its wake.

No one was hurt from the falling mural.

“Mural Arts Philadelphia learned today about the damage to our ‘Independence Starts Here’ mural at Broad and Race and immediately sent our crew to assess the damage and aid in any needed immediate work,” Mural Arts said in a statement to Curbed Philly.

For those wondering how a mural could have fallen off a wall, it’s due to the woven panels used to create “Independence Starts Here,” which celebrates the disabilities community. Mural Arts explained that artist Donald Gensler created the massive mural using “parachute cloth.”

More than 2,000 murals in the Mural Arts Program have been created using parachute cloth, with the first dating back to 1989. But this is the first time any mural has fallen off the building it’s adhered to, according to Mural Arts.

Mural Arts says it’s not clear whether the mural will be restored: “Once the mural and wall are stabilized, Mural Arts will work with Hahneman to figure out next steps for repairing the mural or assessing other options.”