A Bronx Tale, 2022

This art piece highlights the rich diversity of the Bronx in relation to its poetic and literary history. The raven with the pencil is the title of the book penned by former Bronx resident Edgar Allen Poe. The hand clutching the microphone symbolises the poetic tradition of hip hop, with the boom box on the shoulder of the silverback, representing the culture of the genre. The silverback itself, synonymous with the strength, intelligence and brusqueness of the Bronx, can be found in the second largest zoological society in the United States; the Bronx Zoo. Below it is the subway line and the elevated Number 2 train, which ran through my old neighborhood. On the lower left is who we'd refer to as the "qoquito man" selling fruit ice in various flavors. The World Series trophy, cradled in the arms of the silverback, is symbolic of the most successful team in baseball; the New York Yankees, AKA the "Bronx Bombers". As Bronxites we have come to expect the Yankees to win the World series every year or become serious competitors for the pennant.