Boston’s Fresh Artistic Face
September 2006
Hugging the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Boston has never fully taken advantage of its waterfront setting. That is, until now. When the Institute of Contemporary Art opens in late fall, becoming the first of many buildings to occupy the burgeoning Fan Pier section of the city, visitors will have a hard time tearing themselves away from the harbor views to enjoy the art. Architects Diller, Scofido and Renfro have built a gem on the water, where each of the floors offers a slightly different vantage point. The highlight for most will be the glass-enclosed fourth-floor galleries that extend over the water, offering views of sailboats gliding by and the city skyline on the opposite shores. Outside are large concrete steps the architects dub “the Grandstand.”
“Boston is a city steeped in history. The new ICA is a great catalyst for the future,” says philanthropist and art collector Barbara Lee, whose foundation helped jumpstart the $62-million building fund by contributing the first $5 million. The museum finally has the gallery space to
develop a permanent collection, and with Lee at the helm of the Collections Committee, that space is filling up fast. She already has donated five works from her vast collection of contemporary women artists, including one of Cornelia Parker’s signature suspended sculptures, “Hanging Fire,” 1999, and a delicate round rug, “Pom Pom City,” 2002, woven by Mona Hatoum. A gouache on paper by Laylah Ali (from Lee’s collection) and photographs by Nan Goldin (from Lee’s and another lender’s collection), two other artists the ICA has championed throughout its history, also are part of the inaugural exhibition.
All of the art will be housed in the long galleries on the east and west sides of the fourth floor. In “Super Visions,” one of four temporary exhibitions opening this fall, 27 artists in a variety of media will examine how we view art today compared to a century ago. With monumental changes in technology shifting the boundaries of the visual world, the show seems like an apt metaphor to complement the largest art piece on display—the new building. The second and third floors of the ICA are devoted to a theater that will present film, lectures, music, dance and performance art. “We are very excited about being able to expand, from exclusively showing art on the walls to displaying the most cutting-edge contemporary works in all its forms,” Lee says.
The ICA’s reopening comes in the midst of another Boston phenomenon—its growing reputation as the home for young, talented artists trained at institutions like the Museum School at the Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Many Boston-trained artists choose to stay instead of moving to Manhattan’s Lower East Side and Brooklyn’s Williamsburg section because local museums like the ICA, the DeCordova in Lincoln and the Danforth in Framingham, nurture young talent to help them garner national recognition. (Ali is one of the luminaries on the contemporary art scene who honed her craft in the Boston area.)
This is great news to collectors like Lee who, in addition to stopping at her favorite galleries, Barbara Krakow and Bernard Toale, relishes the chance to see many of these rising stars’ works at the Fall Open Studios. Boston artists were some of the first in the country to show their wares directly to the public. Indeed, several of the Open Studios, like the red brick building of Waltham Mills, will celebrate their 30th anniversaries in 2006. “It’s very important for collectors, gallery owners and museums to see the work that is being done today,” Lee says.
She has more than ample opportunity in Boston, where there seems to be an Open Studio featured in a different neighborhood every weekend from September to December. Artists like Gabrielle Schaffner, Open Studios Coordinator for the Fort Point Arts Community, take Open Studios
seriously, working hard the month prior to ensure their show goes as planned. It’s an excellent opportunity for collectors to eye a vast amount of works from artists in varying career stages. Some painters already show at galleries and museums; others are fresh out of art school. This new blood is an exciting component in a city known for its gallery row along Newbury Street. Start at Lee’s haunt, Barbara Krakow (No. 10), and walk up to veteran dealer Vose Galleries, which was established in 1841 (No. 238). (You’ll find one-stop collecting at No. 38, home to Acme Fine Art, Alpha Gallery, Marquit Andrea Fine Arts, Martha Richardson Fine Art, Robert Klein Gallery, Pepper Gallery and Richardson-Clarke Gallery.)
Yet, visiting a gallery isn’t quite the same as stepping into an artist’s studio. Many of these younger artists live where they work, which sometimes can result in embarrassing situations. “I’ve had people pick up my personal note cards and ask if they could buy them,” says Schaffner. “Others check out my bedroom or my book collection. Once you open your door, you never know what’s going to happen.” Maybe this year, Lee will purchase one of Schaffner’s genuine artworks and place it in ICA’s permanent collection. BOSTON MUST-SEE EVENTS
►Boston International Fine Art Show
539 Tremont St.
The largest fine art show in Boston comes to the Cyclorama Nov. 9–12.
617.363.0405
www.bifas.net
Stephen Jermanok is Art & Antiques’ Boston correspondent.
“Boston is a city steeped in history. The new ICA is a great catalyst for the future,” says philanthropist and art collector Barbara Lee, whose foundation helped jumpstart the $62-million building fund by contributing the first $5 million. The museum finally has the gallery space to
|
Don Eyles, "Pyramix Redux," 2005, expanded polystyrene, in the Fort Point Channel. |
All of the art will be housed in the long galleries on the east and west sides of the fourth floor. In “Super Visions,” one of four temporary exhibitions opening this fall, 27 artists in a variety of media will examine how we view art today compared to a century ago. With monumental changes in technology shifting the boundaries of the visual world, the show seems like an apt metaphor to complement the largest art piece on display—the new building. The second and third floors of the ICA are devoted to a theater that will present film, lectures, music, dance and performance art. “We are very excited about being able to expand, from exclusively showing art on the walls to displaying the most cutting-edge contemporary works in all its forms,” Lee says.
The ICA’s reopening comes in the midst of another Boston phenomenon—its growing reputation as the home for young, talented artists trained at institutions like the Museum School at the Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts College of Art, Boston University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Many Boston-trained artists choose to stay instead of moving to Manhattan’s Lower East Side and Brooklyn’s Williamsburg section because local museums like the ICA, the DeCordova in Lincoln and the Danforth in Framingham, nurture young talent to help them garner national recognition. (Ali is one of the luminaries on the contemporary art scene who honed her craft in the Boston area.)
This is great news to collectors like Lee who, in addition to stopping at her favorite galleries, Barbara Krakow and Bernard Toale, relishes the chance to see many of these rising stars’ works at the Fall Open Studios. Boston artists were some of the first in the country to show their wares directly to the public. Indeed, several of the Open Studios, like the red brick building of Waltham Mills, will celebrate their 30th anniversaries in 2006. “It’s very important for collectors, gallery owners and museums to see the work that is being done today,” Lee says.
She has more than ample opportunity in Boston, where there seems to be an Open Studio featured in a different neighborhood every weekend from September to December. Artists like Gabrielle Schaffner, Open Studios Coordinator for the Fort Point Arts Community, take Open Studios
 |
Rendering of the northwest view of Boston's new |
Yet, visiting a gallery isn’t quite the same as stepping into an artist’s studio. Many of these younger artists live where they work, which sometimes can result in embarrassing situations. “I’ve had people pick up my personal note cards and ask if they could buy them,” says Schaffner. “Others check out my bedroom or my book collection. Once you open your door, you never know what’s going to happen.” Maybe this year, Lee will purchase one of Schaffner’s genuine artworks and place it in ICA’s permanent collection. BOSTON MUST-SEE EVENTS
►Boston International Fine Art Show
539 Tremont St.
The largest fine art show in Boston comes to the Cyclorama Nov. 9–12.
617.363.0405
www.bifas.net
►Boston Open Studios Coalition
Lists the dates of all Open Studios around Boston, including the
popular South End Open Studios event Sept. 16–17.
www.bostonopenstudios.org
►Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Ave.
Reopening in late fall. The new Silver Line will stop in front of the ICA.
617.266.5152
www.icaboston.org
►Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
280 The Fenway.
Inquire about its splendid fall concerts in its Italianate courtyard.
617.566.1401
www.gardnermuseum.org
►Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Ave.
“Americans in Paris,” on view until Sept. 24, features such famous works as Whistler’s “Arrangement in Grey and Black, No. 1” and John Singer Sargent’s “Madame X.”
617.267.9300.
www.mfa.org
Stephen Jermanok is Art & Antiques’ Boston correspondent.
email this article
print this article
digg this
del.icio.us
RSS