At first glance, the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina in East Boston hardly appears to be an area teeming with creativity and imagination. One part industrial relic from the Eastie of yore, one part docking station for people to park and live upon their boats, the shipyard has subtly become Boston’s next great artist enclave.
On the surface, the shipyard looks like nothing more than an amalgamation of random pieces of boating equipment, gravel and concrete. But looks can be deceiving. In fact, upon closer inspection one will notice that much of what is visible in the shipyard is part of HarborArts, the city’s largest outdoor public arts exhibition.
On Saturday, September 20, the fourth annual HarborArts Festival will take place to celebrate Boston’s burgeoning art scene as well as the city’s multidimensional and longstanding history. To that end, artists like Liz LaManche are in the process of preparing the venue for what’s poised to become one of Boston’s greatest showcases for both native artists and those who hail from all corners of the globe.
This year’s HarborArts will also have a focus on heightening “awareness of climate change and issues surrounding sea level rise,” according to the website. LaManche’s project in particular ties together all of the themes of this year’s festival, encapsulating Boston’s enduring symbiosis with the ocean as well as many of the cultures that have left a lasting mark on it; all while helping to spread the word about rising sea levels.
So how is she going about undertaking such a massive, multifaceted initiative? By painting a massive, multicultural mural of course.
Well, painting isn’t quite accurate. Rather, she’s tattooing.
LaManche is endeavoring to bedeck the 1,000-foot concrete pier extending out of the shipyard and into Boston Harbor with 14 installments each of which represents a different culture. To do this, she uses an eco-friendly stain that seeps into the concrete overtime, eventually becoming apart of it. The inaugural section, which she completed during last year’s HarborArts fest over a span of six hours, is an ode to New England. The very tip of the pier is adorned with a classical compass.
Now, she’s working on ones from the Basque region of Spain, Ireland, Japan and many more.
The Basques, in fact, were the first Europeans to fish for the Bay State’s signature cod off Georges Bank and were the first to get in on the whaling industry on this side of the Atlantic.
Each of these tattoos will be interconnected to each other by various designs, spanning the entire 1,000 feet, which could possibly break a world record. At the base, where the pier breaks from the mainland, are symbols from Boston’s Native American ancestry which are literally connected to the land by tattooed roots. The land was theirs for thousands of years, after all.
“It’s a selection of the cultures we’ve been connected with by sea through history,” LaManche told me as we toured the shipyard. “It’s not on a timeline, it’s just sort of randomized.”
In order to make each section as historically and culturally accurate as possible, LaManche has upped the legitimacy by bringing in specialists for each representation. By doing this, she’s creating art in a way she refers to as being “culturally appropriate.”
The best works of art are those that tell a story and make a statement. When it comes to more contemporary art, those that drive public engagement is equally outstanding. This project specifically goes far beyond Boston’s oft-cited revolutionary history, delving into layers of the past that extend further back in time than Paul Revere’s midnight ride and the recital of John Winthrop’s “City Upon a Hill” sermon. All of these aspects are abundantly clear in LaManche’s tattoo.
“It’s one of the best pieces I think we’ve ever had. Of all the pieces we’ve put into the shipyard, this one we’ve seen probably the biggest reaction to,” said Executive Director Matt Pollock. “This one has had the most impact on people, especially the people that work in the shipyard.”
He went on to tell me that the shipyard workers and those who spend their days and nights aboard the docked boats have quickly become some of HarborArts’ most supportive patrons, lending out vehicles, tools and various pieces of equipment while also lending a hand in installing many of the works.
“It’s sparked a growth in the relationship between the organization and our hosts here at the shipyard,” added Pollock.
The idea for the tattoo struck LaManche after she received word that HarborArts was soliciting new works to be displayed during the festival. It wasn’t until she came across the unsightly banal pier that she was inspired to beautify almost every inch of it.
“[HarborArts] was open to proposals for new art installations,” continued LaManche. “I was walking around getting a feel for the place, this just seemed like it had to happen. It’s such a canvas.”
Along with LaManche’s masterpiece, HarborArts is quickly growing in both size and scope. What was once a gritty slice of East Boston coastline has transformed into a haven for artists whose work drives community engagement.
So if eye-catching art festivals are your thing, be sure to check out HarborArts Festival on September 20. If you happen to be in the area anytime before or after then, take a stroll around and try to locate all of the pieces hidden in plain sight. Pollock has estimated some 35 installations but admits he’s yet to locate every single one. First one who does earns infinity respect from me.
Images via Yours Truly
