Civic Views, celebrating Philadelphia’s Municipal Workers through original photography was a temporary public art installation by Emilio Martínez Poppe. The original photos were shot by City employees through their office windows which showed their view of the city.
The exhibit was installed in front of Philadelphia City Hall Courtyard from May 23 to June 11, 2025. The installation combined large-scale photography with interview excerpts over the course of two years, with the goal of humanizing city government workers. Martínez Poppe photographed office windows from over twenty municipal agencies, conducted more than thirty staff interviews, and captured over forty window views. The photographs were reproduced at 1-to-1 scale and hung to exact specifications, replicating the experience of looking out from each employee’s office and opening these hidden workspaces to public view.
Anonymous interview excerpts on text panels accompanied the photographs, revealing the pride, complexity, and contradictions of public sector work. The quotes explored how employees came to work for city government, their reflections on their duties, how their careers were perceived, and their hopes for Philadelphia.
The photographs and text were mounted on scaffolding arranged to create an abstracted map of Philadelphia, helping visitors locate these municipal buildings across the city. The scaffolding symbolized both evolving public attitudes toward government and the changing urban landscape.
At a time when the public sector faced scrutiny, restructuring, and privatization threats, Civic Views championed the people and ethics that sustained city government. The project challenged monolithic perceptions of bureaucracy by presenting it at a human scale, aiming to reignite appreciation for public service.
After its debut, selected photographs were permanently displayed at the Municipal Services Building. A comprehensive book documenting the project was announced later that year. Civic Views was organized by Jameson Paige, Curator of Public Practice, in collaboration with the City of Philadelphia. ArtBridge was a financial contributor to the project.
