Boston Public Art Triennial selected Chavez for this project because of her sophisticated use of bright color harmonies and patterns, and in support of her dedication to mentoring young women through collaborative public art works.

With roots in the Dominican Republic, interdisciplinary artist Silvia López Chavez has based her studio and social art practice in the Boston area for over fifteen years. Her work investigates the basic human need to connect with each other on multiple levels: socially, politically and culturally. She explores the intellectual and emotional narratives of joy, struggle, acceptance and assimilation as well as the change and growth that affect daily life. Her work is informed by her own personal narratives and responds to her identities as an immigrant, a woman of color, an educator, a visual artist and a designer.

López Chavez is motivated by the power of the creative process as an agent for positive change. Her collaborative works with community partners include mural commissions, site-specific installations and pop-up interactions within Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Chelsea, Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Danvers and Marblehead.

In addition to her fine art practice, she is an award-winning design professional, working for over 15 years with high-profile companies and institutions.

“The Charles River Esplanade is a place where you can find beauty within an ordinary urban landscape. It is my favorite part of the city, where the bustling human activity fuses with the joy that comes from being by the water. It’s a place where many people and many things intersect and, can connect in meaningful ways. That really speaks to me, since I am always striving to create art that builds connections. Patterned Behavior is certainly a reflection of that.

Creating this mural is an opportunity for different kinds of connections. For me, it’s a way to connect more deeply with this place that I love. For the Esplanade Association it’s a way to reach out to the community and offer them another way to enjoy the walking path and a new piece of cultural programming. For Now + There it’s a way to invite more people into the conversation about public art in Boston. And what excites me most is that I’m creating this artwork for the people of Boston as an opportunity to connect to each other; to increase new positive experiences, dialogue, and create a deeper sense of belonging with their city.” — Silvia López Chavez