The recently completed ‘Breathe Life’ mural by Rob “Problak” Gibbs’ takes in the sky above Madison Park Technical Vocational High School where he was a student, graduating in 1995. Here I share photos from my October visits with quotes and links to valuable resources that promise to enrich your perspective on this powerfully buoyant artwork.
““Breathe Life 2” is a towering, four-wall depiction of a young Black girl, the same girl who sits on the shoulders of her brother in “Breathe Life 3,” the Roxbury mural Gibbs completed last summer. (The original ”Breathe Life” depicts the boy alone and stands on Blue Hill Ave.) With the new mural, Gibbs pictures the girl blowing a large bubble — a trail of inspiring papers and books flies from her backpack, a clustered galaxy of stars and nebulae lives in her hair.” (quote from Boston Globe article by Diti Kohli June24, 2020)
“Youth worked with Gibbs on this project at its earliest stage developing their understanding of artistic process. He introduced them to the thought, looking, and research that goes into designing a work of art, as well as the practical and technical challenges of creating depth, energy, and meaning on the walls of a building. Together, they have brought to life an artwork, literally as inspiration: breathing life, strength, and joy.”(quote from MFA brochure The Mural Project)
Two New Free Related Resources from the MFA
The Mural Project Guide and Map Whether or not you live in the Boston area, the guide provides meaningful background about this mural, Rob Gibbs, and other murals in the surrounding community.
Mural LOVE Walking Tours If you do live near Boston, you can sign up for an enlightening tour of the exciting art by many artists, including Rob Gibbs, on various walls of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School.
Recommended Reading and Viewing
Art Outdoors 
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this!
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