Boston Harbor [re]creation AIR Program Press Release
For Immediate Release
Boston Harbor [re]creation Artist in Residency Program Kicks Off for the Summer
Local Artists Exhibit Pieces on the Boston Harbor Islands and along the Harborwalk
Boston, MA - June 25, 2018 - Boston Harbor Now’s annual Boston Harbor [re]creation Artist in Residency (AIR) Program is opening for the summer. The AIR program is a platform for public art projects on the Boston Harbor Islands and along the Harborwalk. Produced in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and National Park Service (NPS), Boston Harbor [re]creation will highlight the work of artists whose pieces will use the theme of adaptation as a point of departure to engage with the natural environment, community assets, activities, culture and history of Boston Harbor.
This project offers the artists unique opportunities in which to create artwork, and the public new ways of interacting with the parklands in and around Boston Harbor. The resulting innovative educational opportunities will support the missions of Boston Harbor Now, the DCR and NPS to promote conservation and preservation of the parks. Three local artists are participating in the Summer 2018 AIR program, with two of three artists-in-residence being featured on the Boston Harbor Islands and the third along the Harborwalk.
Each artist will host an Open Studios workshop for their pieces that will provide the opportunity for the public to interact with the artists and learn more about the inspiration behind each piece.
The Mythmakers, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein
Artists-in-Residence, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, known as the Mythmakers, are exhibiting a 20 foot tall bamboo sculpture titled Beacon on the Harborwalk leading to Head Island. Beacon is the first piece of art to be installed as a part of the program.The artists will be leading a parade to the piece on Sunday July 1st from 9:30 to 11:00 A.M. The Mythmakers will also be hosting an Open Studios workshop on Saturday August 4th from 2:00 to 4:30 P.M.
Kera M. Washington
Kera M. Washington is an artist-in-residence exhibiting on Georges Island. Washington’s piece, titled From the Harbor, Freedom Sings, will metaphorically trace the footprints of African and Native (Indigenous) Americans who walked on and in the Boston Harbor Islands through composed songs and rhythms. Percussion workshops and public performances will be conducted on Georges Island. The Open Studios for this project will be on Georges Island on Saturday, August 11, 2 to 4:30.
Freedom Baird
Freedom Baird is the second artist-in-residence exhibiting on the Boston Harbor Islands. Baird’s piece is titled Shore Line Recall and visitors to Boston Harbor’s public beaches and islands are invited to join the artist in recording their experiences, impressions, and memories of the Harbor’s lowest-lying areas. On each day of the residency Baird will visit a different spot, and will set up the Human Nature Field Desk, a portable, weather-resistant writing station. At the desk the visiting public are invited and supported to create drawings and writings to capture their impressions of the area. The Open Studios workshop for Shore Line Recall will take place on Georges Island Saturday, August 18, 2:00 to 4:30 P.M.
For more information and for a full schedule with the location of each residency day visit: http://freedombaird.com/human-nature/shore-line-recall/
“Boston Harbor Now is excited to partner with DCR and the National Parks of Boston to bring together the arts, the local community, and our amazing public spaces on the Boston Harbor Islands and the Harborwalk through Boston Harbor [re]creation,” said Kathy Abbott, President and CEO of Boston Harbor Now. “Our local community of artists provides us with a unique opportunity to highlight and introduce new people to the culture, history, and environment of the Boston Harbor Islands and waterfront. Boston [Re]creation is a great way to increase public access to the arts, harbor, waterfront and Boston Harbor Islands all at the same time.”
“Boston Harbor [re]creation reinvigorates and reimagines our important cultural and historic landmarks in Boston Harbor while increasing access to the arts,” said Michael Creasey, National Parks of Boston Superintendent. “The 2018 artist-in-residence program not only gives voice to important local artists, it also adds a new level of experience for visitors to these natural sanctuaries and the National Parks of Boston is thrilled to partner with Boston Harbor Now and DCR to support the program.”
“The Boston Harbor Islands State and National Park continues to be a great source of inspiration for artists and nature lovers from around the world,” said Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy. “Contained within these magnificent islands are important natural, cultural, and recreational resources, and the Boston Harbor [re]creation Program provides a great opportunity for these resources to be on display for all to see.”
Boston Harbor Now is hosting a celebration of this project with a free artist community harbor cruise on July 30th from 6:00-8:00 P.M. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, and a link is on our website bostonharbornow.org/recreation. For more information about the artist-in-residency project, please visit our website and contact art@bostonharbornow.org with any questions.
This program is made possible through funding by the Boston Cultural Council, the Boston Foundation, Reynders McVeigh Capital Management and Fresh Pond Capital.
About Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park
Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park is one of 411 national park areas in the United States, and one of the few urban national parks. Established in 1996, the park is the largest recreational open space in eastern Massachusetts and is comprised of 34 islands and peninsulas. Just 20 minutes from downtown Boston and South Shore communities, the park provides families, individuals and groups with unique island experiences of fun, adventure and relaxation. Visitors enjoy boat rides to island destinations that offer hiking trails, beaches, camping, natural and historic sites, and activities and tours led by park rangers. Programs and exhibits help visitors learn about the natural, cultural, geologic and historical background of the Islands.
About the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation
Beaches, wooded parks, parkways, and reservoirs - All of these places make up the Massachusetts State Parks. You can find a place to go in all regions of the Commonwealth from Pittsfield to the Boston Harbor Islands. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR, Mass Parks) is one of 12 managing partners of this national and state park and owns and manages more than half of the islands including Georges and Spectacle Islands as well as the other four islands that are serviced by the public ferry.
About Boston Harbor Now
In April of 2016, Boston Harbor Now launched as a new non-profit civic organization with a bold mission: to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for Boston’s harbor, waterfront and islands. Boston Harbor Now works with public and private partners to expand access to open space and recreational, educational and cultural opportunities harbor-wide, to plan for and build an integrated and expanded water transportation system, and to foster economic development and growth that is resilient to sea-level rise and the effects of climate change. Boston Harbor Now plays a unique role as the non-profit partner of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park raising funds to help the National Park Service, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the City of Boston and hundreds of youth and community organizations to build visitor amenities and recreational infrastructure like campsites and trail networks, to provide interpretive, educational and cultural programs and volunteer opportunities, and to provide free access for children and families from low-income communities
Media Contact:
Kevin York
Kevin York Communications for Boston Harbor Now
574-361-5599
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