Famous worldwide for his massive, hyper-realistic portraits painted with spray paint, JEKS entitled this piece “Abuela”. It is inspired by the beauty of a diverse community and appreciation for the history of migrants and provides the viewer with a moment of peace, serenity, and comfort which seemingly are harder and harder to find these days. The concept for this piece was created in collabration with a cohort of educators and students from Lynn Public Schools through the Classroom to the Streets program. It sits beside the Massachusetts state bird — the black capped chicadee — and welcomes the thousands of visitors and residents traveling to Lynn by train. The words “Lynn Welcomes You” were designed and painted by Lynn students to signify a warm and inviting message from their city.
