Seaport Neighborhood - Infill and Discussion

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

nm88 said:
These artworks haven't been unwrapped and revealed yet and people already feel compelled to complain. This says more about the critics than it does about the art.
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+1. Agree. The complaining is a little ridiculous. If anything, these colorful sculptures add a little bit of whimsy and character to an area where other people have already complained about as being to "corporate."
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

^ Whimsy and character. Well said.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Beton Brut said:
True enough. For Boston, fix is a lot more complicated than most people realize. That, of course, is a much broader conversation than a simple matter of taste.
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Yes, I nearly qualified this statement. This obviously is a much larger problem and some sculpture will do little to fix it, but I do believe that challenging the perception that Boston is a mix of a stuffy, puritan, "small town" city and a giant college dorm can help (no offense, Boston!). I don't want to take this too far off track, though this could be an interesting discussion in a thread of its own.

I think your original question of "why is it good enough to be public art in Boston?" is probably what most people are taking issue with. I don't see much point in arguing taste, but suggesting that something is inappropriate (or not good enough) because it does not fit a classic mold seems rather out of character.

It's fine of course if this isn't your cup of tea. Personally, if I had to live in a city where this was the entirety of the public art I'd lose my shit, but I do believe there is great value in a variety.

(Please take my overwrought response as a sign of respect.)
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

The one problem I have with these sculptures is...how the hell do I (or anyone) take a great pic/selfie of these wildly colorful figures without getting run over by a car or truck since these are placed in the median of a busy street. Kinda wish they were on the sidewalk where you could actually take a few minutes to enjoy them...sorta like the cow sculptures that popped up around Boston back in 2006! Fun as hell they were, like these creatures about to be revealed in the Seaport. Bravo to the brave person(s) who chose this artwork for the Seaport!

BTW, a lookback at the Cow Parade. http://www.bobspixels.com/CowParade/
 
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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

greenwayguy1982 said:
Beton:
...they are the original work of a very well-known Spanish sculptor and street artist, Okuda San Miguel. Boston is lucky to have works of this caliber installed in such a publicly accessible place.
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In appreciation of your defense of San Miguel's work, I've read up a bit on him. From what I've seen of his work, I find the murals far more compelling than the sculptures. He inhabits the same sociocultural space as Shepard Fairey and Banksy, with a dash of Spanish surrealism. His Wikipedia entry mentions that his work presents a critique of "the false freedom of capitalism;" considering that these pieces parade down an arterial street in a district that houses offices for financial services, insurance, and law firms, along with some of the most expensive apartments in the city, I probably should have a laugh and move on.

nm88 said:
These artworks haven't been unwrapped and revealed yet and people already feel compelled to complain. This says more about the critics than it does about the art.
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Isn't that kinda what we do here about everything?

I've always been here to learn. Among my my methods of learning is debate through well-framed arguments. In my experience, contemporary art is an increasingly visceral medium. My initial response to this work ("under wraps" though it may be) was visceral and blunt, driven by Justin7's apt assessment that (t)hey obviously lack (the) permanence. In my opinion, impermanence is a problem in both contemporary art, and the broader culture that produces and consumes it. As always, I welcome intelligent dissent.

Justin7 said:
I think your original question of "why is it good enough to be public art in Boston?" is probably what most people are taking issue with. I don't see much point in arguing taste, but suggesting that something is inappropriate (or not good enough) because it does not fit a classic mold seems rather out of character.

It's fine of course if this isn't your cup of tea. Personally, if I had to live in a city where this was the entirety of the public art I'd lose my shit, but I do believe there is great value in a variety.
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In matters of taste, I'm 100% comfortable to be wrong. And as all of us know in deeply personal ways, our tastes evolve.

atlantaden said:
...how the hell do I (or anyone) take a great pic/selfie of these wildly colorful figures without getting run over by a car or truck since these are placed in the median of a busy street.
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Taken as serious observation or as wry criticism, you've explained my general distaste for this type of public art. Obviously, I've no right to pass judgement on how folks understand and enjoy anything, or to broadly define the purpose that art should have in our lives.
 
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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

It fits: Seaport Blvd is the Comm Ave of the "New" Boston.

Comm Ave: Old money, understated elegance and classical forms
Seaport Blvd: Global finance, on-trend glitz, ephemeral fashion

Personally, I think the city and region benefits greatly from having such different kinds of cities-within-the-city be in play at the same time. Just like the richness of New York is elevated by the coexistence of the Upper East Side with the flashier hipster climes of Brooklyn.

The Seaport is by and large not to my taste, but we should celebrate the fact that Boston has somehow managed to add a new neighborhood in 10 years, whose distinctions from the rest of the city will qualify it for its own chapter in Lonely Planet.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Beton Brut said:
I've always been here to learn. Among my my methods of learning is debate through well-framed arguments. In my experience, contemporary art is an increasingly visceral medium. My initial response to this work ("under wraps" though it may be) was visceral and blunt, driven by Justin7's apt assessment that (t)hey obviously lack (the) permanence. In my opinion, impermanence is a problem in both contemporary art, and the broader culture that produces and consumes it. As always, I welcome intelligent dissent.

In matters of taste, I'm 100% comfortable to be wrong. And as all of us know in deeply personal ways, our tastes evolve.

Taken as serious observation or as wry criticism, you've explained my general distaste for this type of public art. Obviously, I've no right to pass judgement on how folks understand and enjoy anything, or to broadly define the purpose that art should have in our lives.
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i like 'em. As suggested, they would do much better in Martin's Park.

We should encourage the City to do a move.


BeeLine said:
https://flic.kr/p/292hYdA

https://flic.kr/p/292i6pE
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new layer of dense urban badass.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

No real opinion on the art, but the Seaport Blvd rebuild did the best it could without shrinking the road. Hopefully something similar happens to Congress, which is worse both in width and in pedestrian-friendlyness.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

The sculptures on the median of Seaport Blvd have now been revealed as yesterday. Sorry, no photos since I was driving, but for what it's worth, I personally enjoy them. Unfortunately, there's one sculpture of a deer that faces a pedestrian walk signal right in front of it so that one is not so great. I hope they consider moving the walk signal over. Will try to take photos later on tonight if I get back before it gets dark (unless someone else beats me to it).
 
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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I like them.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Wow! Just Wow! Nice pics, Beeline, thanks! Glad to see they'll be lit up at night! Again I'll say, I wish they were scattered around, on the sidewalks, where you could really enjoy them. Beeline, were they fairly approachable without taking your life in your hands with the traffic?
In any case, I think they'll not only be accepted by the neighborhood, they'll be a smash hit!
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

In sort of exciting/sort of boring Seaport news:

- They've added green paint to the bike lanes (work ongoing). This helps make them look more defined and safer for all involved.

- FINALLY the city removed the superfluous parking meters. The protected bike lanes take up a few spots in various spots, and until the other day cars were blocking them. Now they are safer / correct.

- The city has added street cleaning to Seaport Blvd. from 12:01am to 7am EVERY DAY. Aka - Boylston Street style. No overnight parking.

- For a laugh, go look outside the Grand/Scorpion bar. It's downright "North End style" with all of the various restrictions on parking (snow emergency, valet, commercial, street cleaning, etc.). Who says it's not a real neighborhood? :)

- Paving of the streets continues, this time on Sleeper Street. Looks great.

- Crosswalk signs being added, but the city is making a mess of the brand new sidewalks and pavers by spraypainting everything under the sun with bright pink paint.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Good luck reading some of these placards:

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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I'm impressed how they fit those bike lanes in. I didn't think it was possible with how they had designed the parking spots. Also I'm starting to get a real Park Ave vibe along this strip, both with the art along the planted median and the large glass office towers. Park Ave is pleasant to walk along during the day when it's packed with office workers but at night it's still a desolate highway. The parallel avenues of Lexington and Madison are far more pleasant so hopefully the real life of the Seaport will be on other streets.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

vanshnookenraggen said:
I'm impressed how they fit those bike lanes in. I didn't think it was possible with how they had designed the parking spots. Also I'm starting to get a real Park Ave vibe along this strip, both with the art along the planted median and the large glass office towers. Park Ave is pleasant to walk along during the day when it's packed with office workers but at night it's still a desolate highway. The parallel avenues of Lexington and Madison are far more pleasant so hopefully the real life of the Seaport will be on other streets.
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Seaport Boulevard is very much alive at night, especially in the nice weather. I run a lot, and there are few places in the city where one needs to do more pedestrian dodging on an summer evening run than along Seaport Boulevard.

This stretch will only get better as those trees grow in. In five to ten years this'll look like a 21st century mash-up of Comm Ave and Boylston through the Back Bay.
 
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