Hopeful Seed in Degrading Soil (24" x 30" x 0.75")

This artwork is based on a photo I took of Independence Avenue SW, facing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) complex and Washington Monument in the background. 

In the foreground, a young boy skips excitedly across the street with his family, having just surfaced from the depths of the Smithsonian Metro Station. Along with the blossoming cherry trees, he brings a sense of hope, joy, and renewal in the nation's capital. This is juxtaposed against a larger crowd retreating to the station looking tired and defeated. The predominant outbound flow of people captures the declining belief in the American Dream that the young boy still holds close.

The Washington Monument stands tall in the background, a reminder of permanence and stability as people come and go, dreams rise and falter, and the nation and world undergo changes.