International ARTivism project returns to East Boston
An international ARTivism project spanning 15 countries has returned to East Boston, with a mission to bring awareness to issues around coastal conservation, stewardship, and sustainability.
Local, regional, and national artists created more than a dozen murals this summer as part of the “Seawalls: Artists for Oceans” project, intended to inspire, educate and spark discussion. The Trustees Boston Waterfront Initiative was honored to sponsor “Precipice,” a mural installed on the side of the East Boston Fire Station, created by renowned artist Beau Stanton.
In explaining his inspiration behind “Precipice,” which features a portrait of famous boatbuilder Donald McKay, Stanton describes:
“An illuminated wave crests at the height of the five story East Boston Fire Station partially obscuring a portrait of Donald McKay, a local historic figure who was world renowned for building the fastest ships of the mid 19th century. His most famous vessel, the Flying Cloud, is shown attempting to sail away from the impending threat while being nearly overtaken, suggesting that antiquated solutions cannot provide a way out of the climate crisis. The image reminds us how our collective history is under threat of being washed away while McKay's still visible right eye suggests our ability to imagine an alternate outcome. Do we have the vision to see our way to a sustainable future or will we all go down with the ship?”
More than 19,000 properties in Boston are at risk of experiencing flooding events, according to a report and interactive flood mapping tool from research and technology non-profit First Street Foundation. According to the report, within 30 years that number is forecast to nearly double due to climate change, with areas of more severe impacts including portions of East Boston, Seaport, and Back Bay.
The significant flood risk was highlighted by Seawalls.org in describing why East Boston was selected as the location for its educational coastal installations.
“Once a chain of islands and marshland, East Boston is one of Boston’s most vulnerable communities to the impacts of flooding, increased heat, and coastal and industrial overdevelopment,” the Seawalls team states. “We believe East Boston’s vibrant tapestry of cultures, history, and environmental richness makes it an ideal host location for a Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans project.”
Other murals installed this July can be found at the Donald McKay School, the East Boston Early Education Center (EEC), along the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway, at HarborArts’ Shipyard Gallery, and several more locations around East Boston, as well as a mural by artist Dragon76 in The Fenway, and a Shepard Fairey mural on the side of the New England Aquarium. To view a map of all the locations, along with artist information, click here.
The project was piloted in East Boston in summer 2020, with seven murals, its debut in the U.S. Northeast.