"Metamorphosis of Hope"
Building on Montserrat’s rich history, local knowledge and lush environment, the mural is a representation of the challenges that have been and continue to be overcome by the people of Montserrat.
The mural features two students, a boy and a girl, depicted in graduation wear with wings of the butterfly and dragonfly symbolizing the growth and metamorphosis of the youth of the island overcoming adversity and spreading their wings in pursuit of their dreams and aspirations.
As they reach for the stars, the students are inspired by remembering the challenges overcome by their elders (particularly, as represented, during periods of volcanic unrest or crisis eg in the 1930’s and 1990’s), and in acknowledging the overall contribution of the Montserrat population to volcano-monitoring and in general to volcanology.
Finally, the students find strength in the unique biodiversity of Montserrat, that includes the Montserrat oriole (the national bird), the heliconia (the national flower), the endemic Epidendrum montserratense, and in general, a variety of fruits, flowers, and vegetation that can be found thriving as a result of the island’s fertile volcanic soil.
This is one of the several murals commissioned across Montserrat by the Montserrat Volcanol Observatory (MVO) as part of the Curating Crises Project, geared at increasing volcanic risk awareness and promote Montserrat's rich history, culture and environment. The mural is located at the Montserrat Secondary School (MSS) and was sponsored by Nigel Osborne Enterprise Ltd (NOEL) and Shamrock Enterprises.
The design was developed through the engagement of 16 MSS Students (Keilah Ryan, Hadassah Williams, Amara O'Donoghue, Muskaan Jeswani, Thaisia Hilton, Ronardo Ward, J'alee Bryan, Alyssa Dubery, Tori-Kay Perkins, Neron Wilson, Shekinah Persaud, Nathan Alexander Louis, Joshua Fenton, Sammay Sinclair, Jordain Gerald, Victoria Gordon) by the creative team of The Goodness Tour and they were ably assisted by several local artists during the painting of this master piece.
