N+T Public Art Accelerator artists Tanya Nixon-Silberg and Ponnapa Prakkamakul projects open.
In very different ways N+T Public Art Accelerator artists Tanya Nixon-Silberg and Ponnapa Prakkamakul beacon our participation to witness and pay homage to the faces of Boston. We’re thrilled to welcome their projects to Roxbury and the Leather District.
Tanya’s They Did Not Know They Were Seeds on view at the Parker Hill Branch of the Boston Public Library (Roxbury) and a tribute to Darlene Rogers, invites audiences to peer inside a joyous street scene where a little Black girl skips rope while leaders of the Combahee River Collective cheer her on. This miniature scene is nestled inside a 5’-tall planter with the profile of a Black woman and indigo plants growing from the top, suggesting hair. Tanya plans events that center on the understanding of history, methods, and healing properties associated with indigo dyeing throughout the summer.
N+T team members Kate Gilbert, Jasper Sanchez and Leo Crowley with Eben Haines at Tanya’s opening, June 10, 2023.
Ponnapa Prakkamakul’s Joyful Stitch, two interactive sculptures inspired in shape by early sewing machines, invites audiences to paddle with their feet or roll with their hands to quite literally illuminate the neighborhoods’ shared history of immigration and manufacturing. The concept behind Joyful Stitch stems from Ponnapa's belief in มุทิตา (RTGS: muthitaa) — joy that arises from delight in other people’s well-being. This colorful installation featuring a story from one Leather District and one Chinatown resident offers shared, playful moments and aims to encourage social interaction, reflection, and learning about the historical context of the area.
Accelerator artists Tanya Nixon-Silberg and Eben Haines check out Ponnapa’s work at the opening, July 1, 2023.
Both projects were developed during Now + There’s Public Art Accelerator program, a one-of-a-kind program preparing local artists to create large-scale public art — now open for applicants.
Header image: 3/4th of Cohort Five: Ponnapa, Krystle Brown, and Tanya.