Boston Art Commission Meeting - April 2025

ABOUT THE BOSTON ART COMMISSION Working together with the Public Art Team in Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, the Boston Art Commission (BAC) is an independent board composed of two ex-officio and seven appointed volunteer art and design professionals that holds public meetings to review, discuss, and vote on matters concerning the City’s art collection. The BAC has exclusive authority to approve and commission artworks intended to be added to the City’s collection or be placed on City property. The Curatorial Vision for the City of Boston is to foster the creation and collection of artworks that reflect the people, ideas, histories, and futures of Boston, the traditional homeland of the Massachusett people and the home of the neighboring Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. We aim to commission and approve artworks that engage communities and directly respond to, enrich, and enliven the urban environment. We seek public art that is driven by an artistically strong vision, enhances the diversity and equity of the existing collection, and possess durability appropriate to the lifespan of the work. For more information, see Boston.gov/public-art.

I. OPENING

A. Welcome                                         

Karin Goodfellow

B. Call to Order and Review of Minutes

John Andress

II. DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Karin Goodfellow

A. Presentations for review

B. Commissions, City of Boston

C. Existing Collections, City of Boston

D. General Public Questions (10 minutes allotted, at the Chair’s discretion)

III. PUBLIC ART PRESENTATIONS REVIEW AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY

A. Instructions for public comment

Karin Goodfellow

B. Commissions for Presentation

1. Big Hoops to Fill; Temporary artwork; Final Design; Rose Kennedy Greenway at Purchase & Atlantic Street, North End; Artist: Ja’hari Ortega; Proponent: Audrey Lopez, Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy

Audrey Lopez, Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy

IV. PUBLIC ART PRESENTATIONS ON CITY OF BOSTON PROPERTY REVIEW, PUBLIC TESTIMONY, AND VOTE

A. Instructions for public comment     Karin Goodfellow

B. Commissions for Presentation

1. Peace Poles Trail: Courage, Justice & Forgiveness Poles; Temporary artwork; Final Design; Fields Corner, Dorchester; Artists: Ruth K. Henry, Nora Valdez, Fernanda Lopez; Proponent: Ruth K. Henry, Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

Ruth K. Henry, Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

2. Bridge of Joy; Temporary artworks; Final Design Shipyard Park and the Dry Dock 2, Charlestown Navy Yard 36 1st Ave, Charlestown; Artists: Gillie & Marc; Proponent: Robin DiGiammarino, Navy Yard Garden & Art

Robin DiGiammarino, Navy Yard Garden & Art

3. Nomad II; Temporary artwork as part of the Boston Public Art Triennial; Final Design; Pier 3, Charlestown Navy Yard 1st Ave & 3rd St, Charlestown; Artist: Beatriz Cortez; Proponent: Leo Crowley, Boston Public Art Triennial

Leo Crowley, Boston Public Art Triennial

4. Temporary signage as part of the Boston Public Art Triennial; Final Design; Multiple locations; Artist: Chris Grimley, SIGNALS; Proponent: Leo Crowley, Boston Public Art Triennial

Leo Crowley, Boston Public Art Triennial

The next monthly meeting of the BAC will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 430 PM

All agenda items listed may be voted on or tabled by the BAC

*Applications and presentations listed will be pulled from the agenda if the proponents are not able to submit all needed materials two weeks in advance of the scheduled BAC meeting. All applications are to be reviewed for approval, pending property owner permissions.

EMAIL BAC@BOSTON.GOV FOR ANY QUESTIONS