200 Clarendon Street building viewed from Copley Square

Photo mural viewed from street below

Photo mural viewed from Dartmouth Street, near Back Bay Station

High up on one side of the tallest building in Boston the photo of a man in swim trunks appeared suddenly in late September. Then in October two blocks from the building at Boston’s Back Bay Station a truck appeared where people posed for poster-size photos of themselves.

People waiting to use Inside Out Project photo booth at Back Bay Station

Child viewing freshly minted portrait from Inside Out Project truck

What did these two events have in common?

• Elements of surprise
• Creative use of large-scale black and white photo portraits
• Collaborative involvement with the French “street artist” JR

For now I’m posting a few “snapshots” that got me thinking of how surrounding color enhances black and white. Also I’m sharing a few resources that introduced me to the prolific projects of artist JR, and to the Boston-based organization Now and There. Both have heightened my faith in the powers of public art. Consequently I’m making an inspired promise to follow up on outcomes related to these connected events in Boston, particularly the photo portraits and stories posted at the Dudley Branch of the Boston Public Library. I want to take part in such purposeful art.

Slide Show of Process at Inside Out Project Photobooth Truck

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Photos Pasted on Wall of Back Bay Station

Resources

JR Artist website with projects, videos, news, products

http://www.jr-art.net/

INSIDE OUT PROJECT / Photobooth projects  since 2011 on JR website

http://www.jr-art.net/projects/inside-out-photobooths

Now and There Journal of Public Art in Boston and Beyond

http://www.nowandthere.org/journal/

Now and There is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating impactful public art projects in Greater Boston. Our projects are temporary and site specific, hence our name.

News Articles about Photo Mural and Photobooth Truck Projects 

Odd image on side of ex-Hancock Tower raises eyebrows Boston Globe Sept. 23 by  Steve Annear and Tim Logan

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/09/23/strange-image-appears-side-former-john-hancock-tower/lQxIH0lyy9dUd1x7GUl9lJ/story.html

‘Inside Out’ art project puts murals of residents’ faces onto public buildings       Boston Globe Oct. 7 by Steve Annear

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/07/inside-out-art-project-puts-murals-resident-faces-onto-public-buildings/eiFro57H6DoL9pZRub74MK/story.html

Artist Behind 200 Clarendon Mural Is Bringing Another Art Project to Boston    Boston Globe Oct. 5 by Olga Khvan

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/blog/2015/10/05/inside-out-photo-booth-boston/

With Hancock piece, the public gets an imposing and intriguing gift Boston Globe Sept.25 by Sebastian Smee

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2015/09/24/giant-john-hancock-building-piece-sign-boston-emerging-public-art-scene/r5qhyQgKrK6ukulN8uMjiP/story.html

Night photo of mural from Copley Square

Copies of portraits from photobooth pasted on wall behind bench on Clarendon Street side of Back Bay Station

Copies of photos from Inside Out Photobooth pasted on Dartmouth Street side of Back Bay Station