Nature is present within urban spaces but usually only in a way that’s controlled and manicured – this can be seen in the inner-city parks and trees that are carefully planted and maintained to line the side of the road. In spite of this, nature still manages to slip its way through cracks in the walls and pavements.

Thrive stands beneath a residential high-rise building, portraying nature’s persistence within an urban environment. Following the success of Ven a la Luz in Mexico, Popper was invited to create Thrive – a rework of a previous, similar concept, this time in an urban setting for Society Las Olas, a new building development in the Las Olas district in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The result is a work that responds to the Covid-19 pandemic and the threat of climate change with a promise of peace and enduring growth. Although sculpted from bare concrete, the work opens up to reveal a lush interior of plants.