The statue depicted, “The Embrace,” is one of the most interesting and compelling works of art. It is inspired by a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King embracing and the statue sits in Boston Common. Created by artist Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group, the purpose of the statue is to serve as a memorial representing love, joy and justice.

On this Martin Luther King holiday, I want to use my Monday Thoughts to pay tribute to the work he did. While the world is so noisy right now, I am often reminded of one of the most beautiful quotes I ever heard that came from Dr. King: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”.

I often feel that artmaking presents an opportunity to learn about yourself and provides the muscle to look at the world around you with a more thoughtful sensibility. And at One River we strive to “embrace” the differences in each other.