Girl and Butterfly, 2020
Pencils on paper, 10*8 inch
The Wings Little Library, 2021
18*20*18 inch, painted plywood and mosaic
books donated by John M. Flaxman Library at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The Wings (2020) is a mural concept which represents freedom for all and improvement for every person. The monarch butterfly is known for its migration from Central Mexico to the United States and it’s used in the mural to represent the embracement of the future. The girl chasing the butterfly across the river is embracing her pursuit of happiness.
The Molina Architecture Studio at Molina High School led by Danielle Odis, teaches students skills in design through conceptual public projects like the Little Free Library. Andrez decided to incorporate the Little Free Library concept into his mural in an attempt to engage community placemaking. The design of the library is based on the concepts of migration coming from the development of the mural. Until a permanent mural takes place, the Little Free Library will introduce itself to the community at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center.
In the recording the artist’s sister Anna describes crossing US borders from Mexico.
Anna’s story
Andrez Rivas was born in Dallas, Texas in 2003. His parents and siblings were born in Zacatecas, Mexico. His family came to Dallas in pursuit of the “American Dream”. His parents raised him to be humble and to always be a better person. In the summers, Andrez works with his father in his landscaping business. He loves working with his dad and the opportunity to create new sceneries. Andrez is a senior at Molina High School and has been in the Molina Architecture Studio since his freshman year. He enjoys writing and watching reruns of the show “How I Met Your Mother”. The main character from the show, and his inquisitiveness to expand his creative skills led him to enroll in the architecture classes at Molina. He has participated in many projects and has learned a lot about design.
