The Journey

SELF.  2024
1772 Dwight Street

The Journey was created in collaboration with youth from the North End Youth Center. Emphasizing the overarching theme of appreciating life's journey without focusing solely on the destination, the mural vividly portrays how the teens perceive both their experience as youth in Springfield, and their experience at the Youth Center. Two basketball players in motion symbolize power, talent, and skill and underscore basketball's significance in the youths' daily lives. Two hands intertwined in a pinky promise represent trust, unity, and the assurance of a safe environment. SELF.'s strategic use of line work further enriches the mural's narrative, with lines varying in form—circular paths, sharp angles, and gentle waves— illustrating movement and the diverse and unpredictable paths youths may traverse, highlighting the strength found in their adaptability and continual growth. 

SELF. is an artist from Springfield MA. who specializes in graffiti/word art, and designs clothing for her own eponymous street wear brand. She has designed and painted 20 murals, all based on design ideas from children and youth in Springfield.