Highs, Learns and What’s Ahead
We'll let you in on a surprise: there's no clear roadmap for public art. That's one of the first lessons of the N+T Public Art Accelerator, which kicked off its fourth cohort of artists this fall. While there's no one way to create public art, the Accelerator program is designed to share what we've learned from our own surprises after twenty-three projects around Boston. The four artists in this year's cohort — Eli Brown, Rixy, Karmimadeebora McMillan, and Rhea Vedro — have been on their toes through site visits, talks with other artists, dialogues with community-focused curators, and more. We've defined what success looks like and aired their fears of failure. As they ideate on their public art proposals, we're sharing what surprises them most so we can all learn from it.
“I think the most surprising thing so far is learning about who owns what space, and how different types of ownership affect where public art gets to exist,” says Eli Brown, who is currently considering a waterside sculptural installation. Sites along the waterfront could be owned privately or publicly by the City, State, or Federal government, and it can be tricky to determine who administers what. The City Assessment lookup is on our toolbar; you can find it and other resources to determine ownership here. This list comes from the 2020 Public Art Accelerator — available in full here — which includes some of our most important learns from public art-making.
We visited the City-owned LoPresti Park in East Boston a few weeks ago.
Like Eli, Rhea Vedro is interested in an ocean-side site for her project, which she hopes will offer peace and protection for all who come across it, especially recent immigrants to Boston. “I’ve been grateful for the specific guidance around how to approach different property owners and municipal departments depending on the sites we are interested in creating within,” she says.
Rixy with her coveted wall on Highland Street.
From the start, Rixy has coveted a privately-owned wall on Highland Street in Roxbury for a large-scale mural. Dispensing with forms and formalities, Rixy went straight to the site owner (who happens to live there) to ask permission. The owner’s response? “I’ve been waiting for you.” (It’s not always that easy, and Rixy will still need to permit her project through the City!)
“I’ve been surprised mostly in learning about the history of public art in Boston, the different bounds and phases, and what it takes to be in the public eye this way. Seeing our voices out in public has a huge impact on connecting with others and ourselves. - Rixy.
The group reviews some options in Blair Lot.
It hasn’t been all permissions and permits, though. The Accelerators work closely with context and communities, so we equip them with the history of public art and artists in Boston. Workshops this September kicked off with a discussion on the past and present of Boston public art and then transitioned to dialogues with current practitioners in the field.
How people will react or interact with public art is unpredictable, but sensitive engagement empowers audiences to co-create meaning with artists. As we move into our last month of workshops before project pitches, the cohort will continue discussions around engagement strategies and audience development.
Mima eyeing a potential wall in Blair Lot.
Karmimadeebora McMillan’s painting uplifts the representation of Black women and girls, and her planned project continues this work. ”I would say my biggest surprise is the community involvement with public spaces,” says Mima. She hopes to create a mural with her “Ms. Merri Mack” character going on an epic adventure of joy and discovery to reflect the experiences of young Black girls.
“People want to see art in their neighborhoods that represent the people that live in them.”
- Mima
Each of this year’s Accelerators will chart their own path, but we have no doubt you'll be surprised or delighted/challenged/uplifted with their projects. We’ll keep sharing updates and ways that you can engage their work. Stay tuned for the next Accelerator open call (this spring!) and check out last year's Forum. And we’re always interested in hearing what surprises and delights you about public art, share your thoughts here or connect with us on social @now_and_there.