 |
 |
       
|
For the People, By the People! MassDevelopment Opens Public Art Exhibit at 100 Cambridge Street; Works by LeWitt, Elkus, Artists for Humanity Featured
|
August 5, 2004 Contacts: Adam Bickelman, 617-330-2086 or abickelman@massdevelopment.com Janet Hookailo, 617-330-2018 or jhookailo@massdevelopment.com MassDevelopment board chair Robert L. Beal today joined internationally acclaimed architect Howard Elkus, representatives of contemporary art pioneer Sol LeWitt and students from Boston-based Artists for Humanity to open an important new permanent art collection at 100 Cambridge Street, MassDevelopment's signature redevelopment project in Boston. "This is art for the people, by the people in a building redeveloped by an agent of the state to benefit the public good," said Beal, who also heads The Beal Companies. "Not only does 100 Cambridge Street anchor a new gateway to the heart of Boston from Cambridge and the north, it also offers an aesthetically uplifting experience for the people who work and do business here." In addition to Sol LeWitt's 20-by-60 foot painting, entitled Wall Drawing #1128, 2004, the installation also features Freedom One by the building's architect, Howard Elkus and three pieces by teens from Artists for Humanity, a non-profit art group that works with inner city kids to create commissioned artwork displayed citywide. "Sol LeWitt is a world-renowned contemporary artist, and this is the only work by him on public display in an office building in the city of Boston," said Elkus, whose firm Elkus/Manfredi Architects designed the complex. "While there are other LeWitt pieces in the Boston area, all are in museums or private collections. It's a very important addition to our civic culture." "Howard Elkus is an artist in his own right in addition to his standing as one of the country's top architects," added Beal. "When he volunteered to create a piece for this space, we were delighted. To round things out, we both wanted a statement from Boston's future artists, so we went to Artists for Humanity." "This project means more than a paycheck to our kids," said Susan Rodgerson, executive director of Artists for Humanity. "Thanks to a generous commission by Mr. Beal, the kids were able to work both as a group on the larger piece, and individually for the judged art contest. It is a testament to benefactors like Robert Beal and MassDevelopment that these meaningful and beautiful pieces will be on display indefinitely for visitors and Bostonians to admire and enjoy." LeWitt's work - a vibrantly colored, one-of-a-kind wall drawing - is visible to passersby from the street entrance at 100 Cambridge Street. The Artists for Humanity paintings - Old Scollay Square, Cycle of Life/Boston Past and Present and Spray Painted Point of View, 2004/City Skyline - feature iconic large-scale views of Boston. Elkus' Freedom One, a 16-by-16 foot sculpture constructed of polished steel plates, recalls the ships that sailed from Boston carrying democratic ideals. Its construction of overlapping plates evokes the physical extension of the land into the harbor, while the overall form references the flag of the United States. In 2000, the state closed 100 Cambridge Street, then known as the Leverett A. Saltonstall building, and chose MassDevelopment to redevelop the aging office tower into a mixed-use residential, commercial and retail development. A revitalized 100 Cambridge Street opened in January 2004, and is filling quickly with a mix of private and public tenants and owners, despite Boston's slumping commercial real estate market. MassDevelopment, the state's economic development authority, works with businesses and local officials to provide the financing tools and real estate expertise needed to stimulate economic growth across Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2003, MassDevelopment financed $860 million in projects statewide, supporting the creation of more than 5,300 jobs, the retention of nearly 26,000 jobs, and 4,000 new housing starts.
|
| Call 800.445.8030 or click here. |