2023 is the first year that Pace has been featured in the Manhattan Borough Arts Festival, presenting senior Mercury Wright and her piece called “Headspace.” The exhibit promotes pieces from students Pre-K through 12 attending schools in Manhattan and requires an application process.

“Headspace” took around a month to complete. Wright accredits Mr. Zoboi as the “complete backbone” of the piece and she expresses her gratitude for him teaching her various different methods of creating art and providing a comfortable environment. Without the space and encouragement that Zoboi provided her throughout her high school experience, she said that she “would’ve never been able to make this [artwork].”

Zoboi wanted to give Wright all the support and aid she needed, while still giving her the complete freedom to do as she pleased with creating the piece. He acknowledged that art cannot be controlled nor contained, and that it only exudes true authenticity when it is created with actual passion.

According to Zoboi, many students at Pace don’t always put all their effort into their art, and while they are all beautiful, it is evident that Wright puts energy into each and every piece of art that she makes.

Students often complete work in art class for the sake of a grade and Mr. Zoboi makes an analogy to how “you can go to PE class, but that doesn’t mean you get to go on the basketball team.” Wright’s genuine dedication is part of the reason why she was nominated.

All of Wright’s art pieces resemble her identity, but Mr. Zoboi feels as though “Headspace” in particular, is an accurate representation of her personality. Each element of the piece adds a certain amount of depth and character, making it so special.

“This one was actually in terms of utilizing… a combination of almost everything,” he said. All the components work harmoniously to result in the piece that Wright displayed.

Mr. Zoboi sees this opportunity for Pace, as a brand new door opens and Pace takes a step towards the right direction. This experience will allow our school to gain more recognition and may also motivate other students to broaden their horizons when it comes to art.