Category street art

Changing Art Joins Constant Sculpture in Brattle Square: Ann Norton’s “Gateway to Knowledge” Stands with Beings Created by Minimum Wage Art

Tracking the relocations of “Skraelings” created by Minimum Wage Art (Bob Smith) led me to learn about Ann Norton’s long-standing brick monument in Brattle Square. Links and quotes offer background and perspective.

Artists Kayla Myers and TECHNI Energize Art-Making for Zone 3 Community Sketchbook

Early in the afternoon of art activities for Zone 3 Community Sketchbook on July 16 in Allston, I photographed people of all ages engaged in adding to the very long stretch of inviting open wall. Two days later I came by again. Awed by the art that had been accomplished in one weekend, I couldn’t wait to share the impressive results. Here are selected photos, links, quotes, and notes to convey how this new phase of creativity in Zone 3 came to be.

ART SCRIM Extends Possibilities for Public Art Outdoors, as shown by Yenny Hernandez, Anna Dugan and Deborah Johnson

Each of these three artists has created several fabric panels that transform stretches of metal construction fencing near the intersection of Harvard Street and Western Avenue in Allston. One, Anna Dugan, incorporated concrete Jersey barriers as well. All three worked out their own distinctive series of panels printed on scrim, a lightweight durable translucent textile that has long been used in theater sets. Daylight, street light, clouds, the sky itself, and any machinery or equipment behind the fence can add variables to our view. Whether driving by or standing near, we respond to these shifting features. I grew more aware of such changes as I photographed the art. In fact, I felt that each artist had recognized and successfully addressed the possibilities of scrim.

Public Art Personalities Greet the Season Together on Palmer Street in Harvard Square

Analog the Sphinx Dog and Wapiti the Green Elk recently joined Michelle the Blue Elephant on Palmer Street in Harvard Square. All three stand with slender sturdy legs on narrow skis. All three are creatively constructed from various recycled materials, adorned with objects, and decorated festively. All three are called Skraelings by Bob Smith (of Minimum Wage Art), who describes them in the following quote: “These being(s) are super heroes that are made from wood, metal, even plastic, all castoff materials from an overly materialistic society. Skraelings fight boredom and apathy in all dimensions of time and space.” ….

View a Few of Many, Many Murals by Marka27, “Prolific Artisan”

In recent years I have seen, admired, and taken photos of several murals signed by Marka27, but finally I feel prepared to post with a focus on Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez. In this post I can offer photos of a few of his Boston-area murals, along with quotes and links that should lead you to lots more by this “Prolific Artisan.”

Winter Weather Combines with Outdoor Art: Monique Aimee’s Brine Tanks Mural, James Tyler’s Ten Figures

Photos from recent winter visits add perspective and updates to earlier posts in other seasons.

Mural for the Movement Makes Statements in Many Languages with Faces, Flags, and Fist in front of MFA Boston

After visiting the mural “No Weapon Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper,” currently on the Huntington Avenue lawn of the Museum of Fine Arts, I want to urge everyone in the Boston area to see it before it leaves November 19, 2020. So, this quick post includes photos, quotes and resources that could help you appreciate the mural in person, or at least through connected stories about it.

Chalk Gives Voice on Days of Action in Cambridge and Somerville

This unplanned post shares fleeting street art from local actions on May 31, 2020. Rain may soon wash these chalk statements away, but there will be more to come.

David Judelson’s Brickworker and Ballplayer Keep on Documenting History

By  a ballfield  in North Cambridge ( Rindge Field) since 1983, two brick beings by David Judelson have faced each other supported by pertinent names, equipment, and stories. In recent years I had visited them with vague plans to post about them, though waiting for a way to focus. Then this spring when walks with face coverings became one of  the few recreational options, I discovered that Brickworker and Ballplayer had been outfitted in response to the pandemic.

Ink Block Underground Murals by Women Artists: Indie 184, Silvia López Chavez, Imagine876, Thy Doan

In honor of International Women’s Day, I will first focus on the four women artists who have created murals for Underground at Ink Block, an urban park that opened in Boston’s South End 2017. I have already enthusiastically posted about other murals by Silvia López Chavez and Imagine876 (Sneha Shrestha), but Thy Doan and Indie184 (Soraya Marquez) are new discoveries for me.