Boston may be no graffiti-lined Philadelphia, but quirky and contentious outdoor art pieces still line the city’s streets, and with fresh collaborations between both local and international artists and Boston city council, these captivating murals just keep on coming. Check out these cool and quirky projects for the best in Boston’s street art scene. (Our featured image is © Polka Dot Images.)
Bartlett Yard, Roxbury
In celebration of Boston’s arts and culture over the past few months, Bartlett Yard in Roxbury has played host to a temporary street art collection and a series of creative community events. Once home to a derelict bus garage, the area has been brought to life with colourful and creative wall art featuring a colossal cockroach and a bright pink octopus.
The Bartlett Yard buildings will be bulldozed between November and December to make way for a new residential development, so get there quick if you want to catch a glimpse of these vibrant designs.
Shepard Fairey Wall Art
To complement an exhibition of his work at the Institute of Contemporary Art in 2009, contemporary graphic designer Shepard Fairey delighted Bostonians with an array of outdoor art projects dotted around the city. Famous for his Obey slogans and his Barack Obama Hope election poster, Fairey has roamed the street art world for the past 20 years, producing work that mixes political messages with bold designs and striking images.
Several of the Boston murals remain intact around town, drenched in the artist’s trademark blacks, whites, and reds.
Boston Art Commission Projects
In a series of recent projects, the Boston Arts Commission has teamed up with local street artists to transform everyday city objects into works of art. In 2008, the citywide PaintBox initiative converted dishevelled electrical boxes into eye-catching outdoor art.
The new ArtBox project, launched in April 2013, aims to freshen up the drab concrete barriers of Boston’s roads and bridges; earlier this year a host of volunteers stencilled a vibrant yellow and blue sketch designed by artists Benjamin Winters and Vaclav Sipla onto Northern Avenue and North Washington Street Bridges.
Dewey Square
Until recently, a dramatic technicolour mural of a masked boy in pyjamas loomed over Dewey Square. The Giant of Boston arrived courtesy of renowned Brazilian street art duo Os Gêmeos in 2012, and has been a controversial fixture on the Boston street art scene since.
A more demure seascape by the name of Remembrance: Salt and Light, concocted by British-born artist Matthew Ritchie in varying shades of grey, has now replaced The Giant.
Inspired by Boston’s history and coastal location, the much-discussed design aims to create conversation and engage with the city, but Bostonians remain divided as to whether the new arrival will live up to its predecessor.
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