Healthy Rhythm, with Kien Nguyen

Smith Recreational Center, Grays Ferry, South Philadelphia, With Kien Nguyen 2017

(Painted on the other side of the wall from “Heavy Blanket”)

We created Healthy Rhythm to represent health and wellness, and to promote active, joyful living. This project was done as a part of a massive renovation to the Smith Recreational center and was designed to be a backdrop to a new outdoor fitness area.

The concept was developed to both reference and contrast to the other side of the wall, where we previously painted the Heavy Blanket mural. Where Heavy Blanket was still and pensive, we wanted Healthy Rhythm to be light and active. In Heavy Blanket, weighty textiles of diverse cultures who have suffered great discrimination lay upon a reflective young man. In Healthy Rhythm, design motifs from diverse textiles float dynamically around people in motion.

In Heavy Blanket, the background text reflects identity, how young men in the community identify themselves despite stereotypes telling them differently. In Healthy Rhythm, similarly styled text reflects a healthy community identity.

In Heavy Blanket, a single figure of a young man reflects on his identity and the historical experiences of diverse cultures in our country. In Healthy Rhythm, we wanted to show the many ways that community members of all ages and diverse cultures engage in healthy lifestyles at the Smith Recreational Center.

Healthy Rhythm is a light and active image for the community, kind of a complete vision of wellness when combined with Heavy Blanket on the other side. One side represents the thoughtful, still, reflective component of an emotionally healthy person that takes a close examination of the world in which we live. The other side represents the joy, movement and wellness that come from an active, engaged lifestyle with your diverse community.