Philadelphia Wants To Use Eminent Domain To Turn An Artist’s Studio Into A Parking Lot And Supermarket
“James Dupree has been celebrated around the world for his art. But now he is being condemned by the city of Philadelphia—literally.
His art has been shown at many museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and in the private collections of Patti LaBelle and the Dave Matthews Band.
A native son of Philadelphia, his studio is just blocks away from his childhood home in the Mantua neighborhood of West Philadelphia. After eight years of renovations and sweat equity, Dupree’s studio has become a part of the community. Dupree has hosted and taught art classes at his place and has plans to start a mentorship program to educate inner-city youth on entrepreneurship and aesthetic appreciation. Visitors can rent part of the studio out on Airbnb.”
Sibilla, Nick. Forbes 3 December 2013.
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