A Brazilian-American artist from Harlem, NYC Jon Souza AKA Phes (Instagram: @mcmaniphes) brought his abundant talent to Barrier Free Living’s supportive housing program in the Bronx this winter, creating two dynamic murals in the lobbies of the Family and Singles’ buildings.

“Growing Together (family side) is a mural created in collaboration with the tenants of BFL.” says Phes. “The elements of the piece reflect some of the work done in our creative workshops, where we came up with symbols of the community such as a tree, a drum, the subway, Yankee Stadium, the community garden and more. Using symbolism, we can find our identity through the different images and colors found in our community.”

Phes is a visual artist, emcee, producer, and educator born and raised in New York who was “inspired by Hip Hop from an early age and started writing graffiti and rhymes in the early 90’s.” Phes’ work focuses on using art and creativity as a medium for education, social justice, conflict resolution and community building.

Phes shared the progression of the project in the Singles’ building: