Wishes Upon a Ribbon

Students are greeted every day by a collection of amazing artwork created by their peers when they walk through the main entrance. Venture into Greenwood’s southern stairwell and you will discover some of the senior art students’ installation work. For Emily Mueller ‘23, her latest installation piece, Grade da Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, takes inspiration from her cultural background to bring people together with this interactive art installation.

Emily’s senior art portfolio this year focuses on her Brazilian background and reflects what her cultural heritage means to her. This particular piece is inspired by the gate that surrounds a church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Bahia, Brazil. The gate is decorated with ribbons with the phrase, Lembrança do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia (translating to ‘Remembrance of the Lord of the Good End of Bahia’). The customary tradition is to tie these ribbons around the wrist and create knots along the ribbon. Each knot upon the ribbon represents a wish. The wishes are said to come true after the ribbon falls off on its own. Even the colour of the ribbon has different meanings. 

Emily has recreated the gate, using plywood for the frame and weaving fishing line through the frame. The Greenwood community is invited to add ribbons to the gate and make wishes of their own.