The World Delivers Wonders

The World Delivers Wonders is a dynamic and symbolic mural created by Gabe Tiberino for the new Philadelphia Passport Agency, housed in the historic Robert N.C. Nix Federal Building at 9th and Market Streets. Commissioned as part of the building’s permanent art collection, this work celebrates the interconnectedness of people, places, and history through the lens of mail and global communication.

At the mural’s center, Robert N.C. Nix Sr., the first African American to represent Philadelphia in Congress and the building’s namesake, holds a globe—a symbol of connection and exchange. The globe references both the building’s original function as a U.S. Post Office and Courthouse and the essential role of mail in linking individuals across the world. Surrounding Nix, figures in motion transport mail, maneuver shipping containers, and operate machinery and vehicles, illustrating the vital infrastructure that powers communication and commerce. These elements also pay tribute to Philadelphia’s long history of organized labor.

Tiberino’s mural masterfully blends abstract and figurative styles, drawing inspiration from the building’s Art Deco heritage and the New Deal-era sculptures that grace its facade. The result is a visually striking contemporary piece that both honors the past and speaks to the ongoing evolution of global connectivity.