*Pedestrians gather around The Embrace on the Boston Common. (photo via Britain Padgett-Day)

BOSTON – MASS Design Group hosted Making The Embrace, an event showcasing the design and process behind the new and infamous Boston monument.

Three months ago, The Embrace was unveiled to mixed reviews from locals. Many pointed out its enigmatic design as a point of criticism. Daniel Swansby, 29, called the monument “almost pornographic” when asked to describe it. Swansby is not alone; many Bostonians found the monument strange when unveiled in January. MASS Design Group is out to change people’s perceptions of their creation.

MASS held a vote on the final design of the new monument, including members of the public and city officials, and The Embrace ultimately won.

“Boston chose the design.” Hope Blanchette, MASS Senior Executive Assistant, shared.

The abstract elements of the monument were intentional. Blanchette said, “We wanted to find a line between abstract and figurative.” Comparing other monuments to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that are simply figures of the activist. The Embrace depicts a hug shared between Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, after King won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Martin Luther and Coretta Scott met in Boston while attending school. Later, King rallied across the city, including the first civil rights march in the northeast.

There are many finer details MASS wished to reference in the monument. A big inspiration for the plaza around the bronze statue was “The Garment of Destiny.” Inspired by a letter from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., according to Blanchette, the aim was for the plaza to “look like a quilt.” Deeply rooted in the culture of African-Americans, quilts were used to tell stories, and MASS aimed to share the names of many other civil rights activists across their plaza.

Looking at the monument from one angle, the arms come into a heart shape. Blanchette shared that their only regret while building the Embrace was not having that heart with the Boston Common view behind it.

“You learn to appreciate it,” Francis Buza, 34, said, “I think people just see something and judge it kind of fast. You need to stop and learn before you make your decision.”

If you wish to learn more about The Embrace or its history, look towards Embrace Boston and MASS Design Group. Along with the City of Boston, both played crucial roles in the development. Next time you find yourself in the Boston Common, visit The Embrace and look for those details that make the monument unique.

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