Tribute to Alex Scott

Tribute to Alex Scott by artist Robert Minervini is located on the border of the West Powelton and Belmont neighborhoods in West Philadelphia. The mural pays homage to the life of Alex Scott who fought pediatric cancer by starting a lemonade stand in her front yard to raise money to help her doctors find a cure. This grassroots idea eventually grew into a national organization, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, raising millions for cancer research. Alex was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at a very early age and eventually died at the age of nine, but not before raising awareness and money for cancer research around the country. She was an extraordinary person, and her story is an inspiration.

From Robert Minervini’s artist statement:

“There are a few key elements that I feel are very important to the mural’s overall narrative and concept to come through. The repetition of people picking lemons is meant to symbolize people of diverse backgrounds and ages coming together to achieve a task or goal. This is to mimic what I felt Alex’s Lemonade Stand accomplishes when people run a lemonade stand or donate to the fund. The metaphor of picking lemons mirrors individuals coming together and taking part in the fight for a cure for cancer. It is at the core of the phenomenon behind Alex Scott’s ability to touch so many people with her courage and story. Another element of great importance that might not come across directly is the usage and repetition of the butterflies. In some cultures butterflies are meant to symbolize the transition from life to death. I was informed while designing this mural that at Alex’s funeral, Monarch butterflies were released. I thought it was a fitting symbol to represent her spirit touching others and empowering and/or inspiring them to take part in the struggle. The specific connection in the painting is the trail of butterflies from Alex, on the left, to the largest figure on the right reaching to the sky to catch a butterfly, and Alex’s spirit along with it.

“This idea was also carried out in an installation on the fence with large wood cutout butterflies of varying size and color. These wood butterflies were painted by the community as well as patients of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia or CHOP. This hospital was where Alex was treated. Each represents Alex’s sprit reaching out to the world and touching lives. They also represent how cancer affects everybody regardless of people’s backgrounds. This is embodied by the [varied sizes, shapes and colors of the butterflies]. The fence reaches out from the mural in a triangular shape and almost resembles arms, I thought of it much like the design of the Vatican’s Piazza, which is meant to resemble the arms of God reaching out and pulling you in. The butterflies are spread out through the fence in movement mimicking flying away in to the viewers real space.”

Location Note: Mural no longer on view at this location (lost to development in 2024).