The Creative, which joins Boston's pantheon of giant-head statues, sits outside the new home of the Boston Arts Academy on Ipswich Street in the Fenway.
Simon Donovan, who created the work - commissioned by the city for the new school building - along with Ben Olmstead, explains the statue:
We noted that demographically the school’s population was primarily students of color. We also know that images of young black women are underrepresented in public art. Thus, we worked with student representatives to determine the visage of a young woman daydreaming of all the creative possibilities that her future could hold.
He adds that the sculpture is made of "layers of laser-cut perforated stainless steel creating moiré patterns," designed to mesmerize onlookers.
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Comments
why is she bald?
By anon
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 2:25pm
why is she bald?
Perfectly Acceptable
By Est.1985
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 3:54pm
A lot of Black women wear their hair short.
I like that the head is bald
By anon
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 4:27pm
It indicates that hair is superfluous to the deeper or bigger meaning. I once knew a visual artist who painted herself bald (even though she had hair) for the same reason. People get too hung up on the outer image.
Zardoz!
By Pete X
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 2:28pm
when do we get the floating head that shoots lasers out of its eyes?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zardoz
Only if you wear Sean Connery
By hooks
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 2:45pm
Only if you wear Sean Connery‘s outfit and ask nicely.
https://tinyurl.com/yc5k5yuw
I'm still waiting
By fungwah
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 2:52pm
for the giant floating head in a tube that grants superpowers to teenagers with attitudes.
GI Jane 2
By bostnkid
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 3:31pm
Cant wait to see it!
And the cost to the citizenry
By anon
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 4:11pm
And the cost to the citizenry of Boston?
Public art is a public good
By Parkwayne
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 9:07pm
Whatever this cost is a drop in the bucket compared to other wasteful lines in the city budget.
Oh, yes, rise up in righteous outrage
By adamg
Thu, 12/15/2022 - 9:10pm
How dare the city's only arts-focused high school, located in a city-designated cultural district, have actual art outside (and inside)?
In any case, the total cost of the statue, which also includes an LED lighting system (so now I have to go back at night to see that) was $250,000, according to this overview of both the statue and artwork installed inside the school.
The money came from the city's Percent for the Arts program, in which the city sets aside an amount equal to 1% of the annual capital borrowing budget, or about $1.7 million a year.
Are you a Boston resident? Because I'm sure we could set up a GoFundMe to reimburse you your share of the statue's cost.
People complain about the
By Matt Frank
Fri, 12/16/2022 - 8:03am
People complain about the cost for things like this but don't bother to think about how much was spent on those old wonderfully adorned public buildings we all love so much. I'm all for being frugal (and I personally think modern schools are way too expensive) but I also think public buildings shouldn't all have to look depressing and sad. Public art, lighting set ups etc all help make a place what it is. Over time they become iconic.
I drove past Landmark Center in Fenway this morning and it was all lit up, there seemed to be color on the ground floor, the architecture has always been so amazing to look at and I couldn't help but think about how that was just a Sears distribution center in a part of town that was. Or all that developed when it was built , yet they took the time and energy to make it look impressive. I realize it's not a public property but for it's use it didn't "need" to look the way it did but they made that choice. Now with the newer lighting it looks even better. Much more interesting than a square brick building.
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