Rob “Problak” Gibbs: Breathe Life 3 (2017)

Commissioned by Now + There with The Community Builders and the People’s Baptist Church, Breathe Life is a lower Roxbury homecoming for Problak, encouraging optimism and strength. This is the third in a series of murals by this prolific local painter, muralist, and street artist ready to share his full artistic power with Boston. This project represents a heartfelt expression of the artist’s past, present, and future. It’s our second curatorial project for this space.

A product of the golden age of hip-hop, Gibbs grew up between the Lenox Street Apartments and Orchard Park Projects in Lower Roxbury. Starting in his early teens Rob was experimenting with graffiti and using art as a tool to express his experience of life in the neighborhood. Building on the rich history of black murals in Roxbury, Problak’s work pushes the medium forward into contemporary expression.

This iteration of Breathe Life features a fresh and graphic portrayal of two children, smiling widely, surrounded by radiant beams, practicing the American Sign Language words Breathe Life. More than just a title, Breathe Life is a philosophy, meant to promote positivity, share energy, and lift-up images that reflect the community back to itself.