IS 117X: Embrace

Thrive Collective returned to IS 117X for our ninth after school program year since 2015, this time adding a polytab installation to our visual arts collection. A team of artists led by Pips worked with a dozen or so students for 12 weeks to conceive, design, and produce “Embrace.”

The design reflects the culturally diverse Mount Hope community surrounding the school. In the center, children embrace surrounded by fun vignettes and a celebration of life in a city connected by waterways. To the left a young girl plays soccer, and a child sits on a giant lunch box, depicting favorite school-day activities. On the right a train provides glimpses of the neighborhood. The waves of water represent impact, and the octopus represents the knowledge the students gain from the school to bring (or splash) upon the world. Along the edge of the mural, hands piece together the images like a puzzle symbolizing connection and community.