The Allegory
The Allegory began with what was already there: the wall’s closed doors, windows, and “No Trespassing” sign—elements Edny Jean Joseph reframes as symbols of the obstacles we’re meant to confront and move beyond. Inspired by Plato’s Cave, The Allegory uses the physical features of the wall—doors, windows, and even signage—as symbols of the obstacles people must overcome. The figures climb beyond those barriers toward the sun, reflecting growth, belief, and transformation.
The vision of Edny’s mural began with the most visible, physical parts of the 70-foot wide building wall: the closed doors, windows, and “No Trespassing” sign. To Edny, all of these features represent life obstacles we must overcome.
Edny’s work alludes to Plato’s Cave, where people are trapped because they don’t challenge or test their beliefs. The artist’s favorite moment in the mural is where the figures climb over these physical obstacles and reach the sun—a better place.
The mural is near Southside Elementary, and Edny used a Matisse “cut-out” aesthetic so that it’s child-friendly for the kids who visit from the school. The color scheme references the Bahamian gandy dancers involved in the making of Henry Flagler’s railroad system—where The Underline is situated today.
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