Flowers of our People

Artist Statement and Creative Rationale

By Fermin Mendoza

National flowers symbolize a country and its people, representing their culture, heritage and deep roots that trail back hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. America’s national flower, the rose, is also the official flower of the state of New York. Within their Staten Island neighborhood, the Stapleton Houses and Neighborhood Senior Center feature a multi-cultural community of people.

With design input from seniors, local residents, and volunteers, the “Flowers of Our People” mural celebrates this special community’s diversity. It features two prominent red roses on the sides of the mural with a garden in the center filled with an array of colorful and exotic flowers, along with images of people planting and watering their national flowers, sharing activities like Tai Chi, Zumba, meditation, children playing, adults frolicking, and everyone enjoying a beautifully diverse community garden.

Stapleton Senior Center (2020)

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