New exhibitions featured in City Hall Galleries

The Guest Curator Initiative at City Hall brings professionals from leading cultural organizations to produce and organize exhibitions at City Hall, in collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture.  The goal of the program is to connect talented curators with new creative voices in Boston.

"Boston has an incredible depth of talent, both at the major institutions and in every neighborhood across the city," said Mayor Walsh. "The guest curator program allows us to bring these groups together, showcasing the work of artists in the city, brought together by leading professionals and shared with the entire community through the City Hall Galleries."  

Curated by Karen Haas, Lane Curator of Photographs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, STARE will be displayed in the Scollay Square Gallery in City Hall from May 18 - June 27, 2017. This exhibition focuses on the work of emerging photographers from the Greater Boston area. All photos are inspired by Walker Evan's quote "Stare. It is the way to educate your eye and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop" and will explore the many ways the camera viewfinder allows for staring.  

Curated by Monica Garza, Director of Education and Sean Snyder, Graphic Designer and Multimedia Producer at ICA Boston, I Am. You Are. We Can. refers to a semester-long Teen Digital Photography project where students explored the life of photographs at the ICA. Through discussions, gallery visits and their own photography practices, students investigated the contexts which give photographs meaning, defined a sense of self, explored perceptions of others, and inspired collaborative action toward common goals through the photographic image.  I Am. You Are. We Can will be displayed in the 5th Floor Mayor's Gallery from May 18 - June 27, 2017.   

"This collaboration with guest curators at the City Hall Galleries allows us to offer local artists exposure to some of the most talented arts professionals in the city and offer a platform to share their work with the community," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "This month, we have the opportunity to showcase both established and emerging artists who have created some inspiring work.  We want to invite everyone to City Hall to experience these galleries and appreciate the work of these artists."

In addition to the exhibitions created by the guest curators, the City Hall Galleries will feature Now You See: A Celebration of Courageous Kids created by photographer Jacquelyn Lamont.  Lamont, also a trained forensic interviewer, reveals the bravery of abused, neglected, and exploited children who disclose their trauma to law enforcement. The photos were taken in waiting rooms, offices, conference rooms, and homes. The exhibit was designed by graphic designer Mattie DiCola. Now You See: A Celebration of Courageous Kids will be displayed in the Mayor's Neighborhood Gallery on the second floor from May 1 - May 31, 2017.   

For more information about the upcoming exhibition in the City Hall Galleries, visit here.

Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC)

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture's mission is to support artists, the cultural sector, and to promote access to the arts for all. The office houses the Boston Cultural Council, the Boston Art Commission, and the Poet Laureate program. Responsibilities include leading up the City's Cultural Plan, Boston Creates; managing the Boston Artist-in-Residence program (BostonAIR); curating exhibitions in City Hall; and operating the historic Strand Theater in Dorchester.  For more information go to: www.boston.gov/arts

About the Boston Creates Cultural Plan

The cultural plan is a ten year plan for supporting arts and culture in the City of Boston. It was created out of a year-long community engagement effort designed to help local government identify cultural needs, opportunities, and resources and to prioritize, coordinate, and align public and private resources to strengthen Boston's cultural vitality over the long term. The full cultural plan can be found online at  http://plan.bostoncreates.org.