Boston Loves Public Art

Many thanks to Gabrielle Schaffner, Executive Director of Fort Point Arts Community, for this guest post.

Each year the Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) in Boston’s downtown waterfront neighborhood presents a series of temporary public art produced by local artists.

Claudia Ravaschiere and Michael Moss’ Street Cathedral is a jewel-toned sculptural installation anchored to the light poles at several locations in Fort Point. These pieces engage the public by invoking the reflective quality of cathedrals with a post-modern sensibility to share the public presence of art and celebrate the urbanscape of Fort Point. They evoke the contemplative character of stained glass with a sense of whimsy and discovery as pedestrians travel through the Fort Point neighborhood FPAC’s 2011 Fall Public Art Series is funded by a grant from The Fund for The Arts, a public program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible by generous support from anonymous donors.

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More info:

            www.fortpointarts.org 

Fort Point Arts Community’s temporary public art installations celebrate annual Fall Open Studios, which took place October 14-16.The work of public art serve to engage the public, highlight the Channel, the Fort Point neighborhood and its creative community, and promote Open Studios.

About The Fort Point Arts Community: The Fort Point Arts Community, Inc. of South Boston (FPAC) is a non-profit founded in 1980 to enrich the Fort Point area with an artists’ live/work population that contributes to the district’s and the City of Boston‘s cultural life. In Fort Point, artists not only create art, we present two Open Studios events each year, develop and support permanent studio space, organize art lending programs, run galleries and a store, produce temporary public art, and  are active participants in determining the future of our neighborhood. We encourage new ideas, collaboration, connections, and economic growth.

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Chuuuttt !!! (Place Stravinski)

Last Friday’s post, Paris…Art on the Street, featured a monumental wall mural that’s actually called Chuuuttt !!! . The work, which can be found at the south side of the Pompidou Centre by the fabulous Fontaine des Automats in Place Stravinski, was created by Jean-François Perroy, who is better known as Jef Aérosol. The Lille-based First-Wave street artist is famous for his compelling spray paint portraits of cultural icons and celebrities. Chuuuttt !!! is Jef Aérosol’s call for calm,quiet and serenity in the heart of Paris.

The busy, tourist-packed Place Stravinski is rarely calm or serene, but it is wildly amusing and entertaining with it’s fountain filled with sixteen whimsical, moving, waterspouting sculptures by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle.

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Salon Du Chocolat

Every Fall Paris attracts serious chocoholics for the annual Salon Du Chocolat at France’s largest exhibition center, the Porte de Versailles. The delecious show covers the world of chocolate from the cocoa bean growers based in Africa and South America to the chocolatiers of France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Japan. Iconic candy makers, patisseries and retailers present gorgeous displays and offer generous free samples of mouthwatering products. There’s even an over-the-top Chocolate Dress Fashion Show. When I could stop stuffing my face with chocolate samples, I managed to take a few photos.

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London Curiocity

London Curiocity is a map/magazine (or magazine/map) and website dedicated to the history and mystery of London. It offers unique and quirky angles on exploring Britain’s greatest city.

The clever magazine is folded like a pocket map and fits in your hand. It explores new ways of discovering and encountering London based on contributor essays, stories and illustrations. And, when it’s turned inside-out it reveals a fab centerfold map.

The project was launched in September and promises to be a fun way for residents and visitors to engage London.

Hat-tip to Evan Smythe of London

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Paris…Art on the Street

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Pulp Fiction (better than pulped books)

In the Philly region, Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller are famous for their spooky art installation Pandemonium in Cell Block Seven at the über-scary old Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. But they rubbed some booklovers the wrong way with their installation titled The House of Books Has No Windows, which was constructed out of antiquarian books. But this video, which explains that they actually rescued the books from the pulp mill, should assuage bibliophiles’ concerns. Better art than pulp.

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Postcards to Alphaville

Postcards to Alphaville (my adopted hometown) is a very clever project dedicated to film characters featured in guest artist made illustrations. The founder of the project, Paul Paper, invites participants to view a film and to make a postcard portraying one significant character.

Paul plans to turn the project into a book at some point with the help of viewer support.

Now someone needs to create a Lemmy Caution postcard.

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Round the World Travel (for breakfast)

Do you ever wonder what the rest of the world is eating for breakfast as you shovel your granola or Frosted Flakes? Well the folks at Hostel Bookers sent a link to their photo spread on fifty typical breakfast meals from around the world.

See if you can guess where each breakfast is consumed. Hint: These ten breakfasts are from Egypt, Costa Rica, Jordan, Poland, Morocco, Korea, Turkey, Thailand, Hawaii, and the Philippines—you figure out which is which.

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Life is the Story

 

Life is the Story is a charming 20 minute illustrated video presentation on the creation of a graphic travelogue by cartoonist/illustrator/travel writer Lucy Knisley. Along with her popular internet comic strip Stop Paying Attention, Chicago-based Knisley is known for her book French Milk (Simon and Shuster), which chronicled the ups and downs of her stay in Paris’ 5th arrondissment.

 

 

 

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Cheapo Tourism

Talk about cheapo travelers: A woman named Ma Jei told startled visitors at Nanjing, China‘s Zhonghau Castle that she climbed the 14th century walls to beat the $4.00 admission charge.

The 48 year-old climber claimed that she has scaled the 70 foot walls many times prior to this episode. According to Chinese officials, other tourist who attempted to copy Ms Jei fell and were injured.

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