Respect for All

Ceramic pigment on porcelain tile   10x25 ft.    2024

The Aurelia Greene Educational Campus, Bronx

Collection of the NYC Department of Education, Public Art for Public Schools 

Commissioned by the NYC Department of Education, NYC School Construction Authority Public Art for Public Schools program, in collaboration with NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art program

Respect for All is a site-specific mural, located in the lobby of the Aurelia Greene Educational Campus, Bronx. Installed on two adjacent walls, the mural features two groups of figures in a library setting. On the main wall behind the security desk, four individuals sew a large, colorful quilt adorned with affirmations like "I am respected," "I am smart," and "I am understood." On the corridor wall, a father is shown reading a book titled Respect for All to his young child snuggled on his lap. The quilt stretches across both scenes, cradling the parent and child as they read and visually connecting the two narratives.

Mohammed prepared for this project by visiting libraries around the Bronx. He selected popular children's book titles and incorporated them on the bookshelves in the background of his mural. To create the artwork, Mohammed gathered clippings from magazines, newspapers, local maps, and wrapping papers. He assembled these paper elements and integrated hand-painted components to form an intricate composition layered with text and pattern.

The collage was then photographed and digitally printed with ceramic inks onto porcelain tiles. Warm, inspiring, and full of discoveries, Respect for All celebrates the rich history and diversity of the Bronx and highlights the power of literacy as a path to creativity and connectedness.

Photo Credit: Etienne Frossard