When visiting Boston last May with my Dad we saw construction in the Boston Common and a sign promoting the upcoming unveiling of “The Embrace”, a new Martin Luther King Jr Memorial on Boston Common. A few months later, my family was in Boston again for The Head of the Charles Regatta and the barriers were still up but we could make out parts of a sculpture.
The Embrace, the 20 foot tall, 25 foot wide bronze sculpture was revealed early in 2023 on Martin Luther King Jr Day and I watched the unveiling streaming on the internet. Today, while visiting Boston on business, I finally had a moment to visit this memorial in person.
Here’s the thing: a lot of people do not like this memorial. For me, I found it incredibly moving. The figurative portrayal of interlocking arms evoke a sense of comfort and security to me. And the bronze finish against the backdrop of the city is a visually striking and interesting landmark in a part of the Boston Common that I found empty and uninteresting int he past.
Today was a cold and overcast day giving me great natural light. Here are a few photos that I took of my first visit to the Embrace Boston Memorial.
