Mayor Walsh announces new artwork on display at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building
Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Art Commission yesterday announced the dedication of three pieces of public artwork at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building. This dedication is part of Mayor Walsh's long-term vision to make the City's arts and culture creative portfolio stronger, more accessible, more sustainable and more diverse.
"Incorporating artwork into the fabric of our city is a great way to enhance our collective quality of life," said Mayor Walsh. "Making artwork accessible and available for all to enjoy is another step in adding meaningful value to our communities and growing Boston's reputation as a cultural hub."
The dedication is the end result of a process that began with a nationwide search for artists conducted by the Boston Arts Commission, which resulted in two Boston artists and a Boston high school student being selected to create artwork for the building. The artwork was created specifically for Boston and the process involved collaboration and communication with the communities for which they were designed.
Roxbury Rhapsody
Created by Napoleon Jones-Henderson, this piece is a wall design that is dedicated to Roxbury's ethnically diverse, musically-rich history. "It is indeed an honor to create an enamel mural that celebrates this quilted history of Roxbury," said Jones-Henderson. Jones-Henderson, a nationally renowned artist, has been involved in the Boston art scene and Roxbury for over three decades and used his understanding of the community as inspiration.
Crisscross Signal Spire
Created by Meejin Yoon, this piece is an outdoor sculpture that aims to mix Boston's rich history with its future. The sculpture consists of a braided array of tubes representing Boston's neighborhoods and invoking the city's history by appearing similar to the crisscrossing of Boston's subway system. Pointing towards the future, Yoon was influenced by Citizens Connect and each 311 call that is logged appears as a flash of light in one of the tubes. Direct user interface is also possible by connecting using #SignalSpire on Twitter.
Intricacy
Created by Clarita Stephens, a Boston public school student, this piece is an acoustic panel. Stephens, who is currently a senior at the Burke High School in Dorchester, has a passion for art and was encouraged to create an artwork by her teacher, Alisa Rodny. "I feel a little shocked but grateful and honored that my work was chosen," said Stephens. "When I was working on my piece I felt good because I was to be able to express how I felt about the city that I love and grew up in in the form of Art, which I also love."
For more information on the event, you can visit the Boston Art Commission atpublicartboston.com or contact them at 617-635-3245 orart@bostonartcommission.com. You can also connect with the Boston Art Commission on Facebook (BostonArtCommission) or on Twitter (@PublicArtBoston).