Philadelphia-area artist Meryl Hyatt loves Philly street art. For years, Hyatt has explored the city, seeking out the uncurated, quirky art that hides in plain sight on the streets and alleys of Philadelphia. Once spotted, she sees the work as a mystery to solve—Who is the artist? What is the story behind this? Where can I find more of their work?

Hyatt incorporated her love of street art into the curriculum of her homeschooling community. During the pandemic, the open air of urban neighborhoods was the perfect classroom for Hyatt to take a deeper dive and teach her students about murals and other forms of public art. As her love grew, so did a desire to contribute and bring the same delight to others. Hyatt explored various art making methods, but nothing seemed to click until she taught herself to crochet. She became interested in images of food-related fiber art. After she made her first avocado, Hyatt knew she had found her signature street art project.

In keeping with the humble roots of street art, Hyatt often works with upcycled yarn, scouring yard sales and thrift stores for skeins of the perfect avocado green. She marks her avocados with an embroidered “phl.avo” signature and embraces the ephemeral nature of guerilla art. Most of the avocados eventually disappear and Hyatt hopes that they find themselves in people’s homes, scattered throughout the city and beyond. Hyatt’s exhibition at Philadelphia International Airport is her most prolific endeavor yet. The artist would like to sincerely thank Leigh Coffin and Larissa Jaffe-Ward for their hours of hard work and love to help create the more than 200 avocados featured in this exhibition

Visit www.instagram.com/phl.avo/