Category Boston Public Art
Trienniel Artist Adela Goldbard’s Carefully Crafted Ship, Dramatically Destroyed in City Hall Plaza
Combined experiences of two visits to this one artwork certainly expanded my awareness of the powers of temporary art! Here are a few photos with links and quotes that suggest the creative time, energy, and effort given to art that was built to be completely destroyed. Though no one could revisit the art in person after Sept 12, the stories, videos and other visuals continue to document the project, among other impressive time-based artworks by Adela Goldbard.
Sense the Presence of Dramatic Sculpture by Wesley Wofford: “Hope Out of Darkness”
With only the rest of December left to view this monumental sculpture on the Greenway, I want to post now, without waiting for better photos from my phone. If you can get to Boston’s waterfront this month, don’t miss the experience of getting as close as possible to this inspiring being! If not, you can enjoy the compelling photos and information in Public Art at the Greenway website, plus other Key Resources listed below. I hope the quotes here will guide you.
“PlanTable” in Chin Park Serves Many Important Purposes
Quotes and photos below focus on a few features. Links at the end lead to more. “At a time when cities like Boston face intensifying summer heat and widening environmental disparities, PlanTable offers a living, participatory response—merging ecology, culture, and community in one dynamic space. This multidisciplinary project, presented in partnership with Pao Arts Center, emerges from a deep collaboration between artists, designers, community advocates, and climate thinkers. ” ( Quote from Greenway Public Art, PlanTable)
Time and Space Connect Art by Misa Chhan and Zhidong Zhang on the Greenway
Ten cyanotype-printed* flags by Chhan and a richly coordinated cabinet by Zhang draw on their families’ historic crafts. Explore work of both artists along the flow of Chinatown Stream! Quotes, links, and photos should support their connections. * photo process printing in blue
Photo-Collage Aluminum Prints Tell Many Stories in Misa Chhan’s “Year of the Snake” on the Greenway
I loved walking among the compelling pages of this sturdy, large-scale outdoor book in Auntie Kay and Uncle Frank Chin Park on the Greenway one evening in late July. Focused on faces, fabric patterns, and family members, I formed connections at my own pace. My next walk there will bring out more to share. Meanwhile quotes from the Greenway link should offer context and entice you to explore Misa Chhan’s artwork.
Boston Women’s Memorial Resounds with Past and Present Voices
Boston Women’s Heritage Trail (BWHT) alerted me to a resonant event, Women and the Fourth at the Boston Women’s Memorial on Commonwealth Avenue. Joining Meredith Bergmann’s sculptures of Phillis Wheatley, Abigail Adams, and Lucy Stone, Executive Director Dr. Alexandria Russell read aloud from Frederick Douglass’s powerful 1852 speech, What To the Slave Is the 4th of July?
3D Mural Features Swap Boxes: “Give & Take” Designed by Non Issue Studio
Quotes, notes, links from first visit, with hopes of more to come: “Our newest interactive public art project, presented in partnership with Harvard EdPortal. On view at 224 Western Ave, Allston, MA, from May 2, 2025 to April 2026” (quote from Non Issue Studio: Swap Boxes)
Hands–on Signs Energize “Hands Off!” Rally in Boston, April 5
Here are a few samples of the plentiful expressive statements and creative designs that characterized this significant event. Link to the quoted Boston Globe and NPR articles for basic background and dramatic photos as well.
“Hatchlings” Offer Even More Ways to Enjoy the Greenway This Winter
Walking a snow-covered stretch of the Greenway for an hour in late December, I got to visit seven of nine Hatchlings* with increased appreciation at each site! Certainly now I want to see and revisit them all many times before they leave in late February. This quick post with notes and quotes aims to urge anyone who can do a winter walk in Boston to enjoy them too. For everyone else, the resources here offer intriguing information about their origin, presence, and potential as public art. *including two initially on the Esplanade
Explore Jeffrey Gibson’s Completed Mural in Dewey Square
September 27 was my first visit since the completion of “your spirit whispering in my ear.” These photos, notes, quotes, and links form a sequel to the early-September post about the mural in progress.
Art Outdoors 