THE LAB

What we do.

What you can do.

LEARN MORE

CREATING COLLABORATIONS

FOR ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES

BostonAPP/Lab is a "brainstorming hub" for new collaborations, civic engagement opportunities, and supporting

arts in Greater Boston's public places...

arts for us and our place!

Through Workshops and our ArtsCommons project, the Lab provides a meeting ground for artists, city and community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and the general public to imagine

What can we do together

that we can't do separately?

LEARN MORE

The Lab is proud to have been part of

We dug into the concept -- and practice -- of collaboration...on figuring out what we can do together that we can't do separately...on bringing to life...

Art for Us and Our Place: Building Community in the Neighborhood

When was this? Saturday, April 29, 2023

Where was this? The Anchor, Charlestown, MA

Questioning-Mind-Sculpture-Michael-Alfano-Harborwalk-1A-769x1024.jpg

To get us going...

Artist Michael Alfano talked about the artist's role in helping to activate/strengthen a true sense of community within a neighborhood...your neighborhood! He then led a post-workshop tour of his Charlestown Navy Yard installation titled "Of Many Minds."
Urban designer Ben Carlson shared principles in identifying key people and places to involve in conceiving this transformation!
And participants added their thoughts for planning and executing this transformation on behalf of their places...their neighborhoods...their community!

And to continue the brainstorming, we...

identified the top take-aways,
focused on next steps, and
started to activate the concept of creating"art for us and our place!"

We've also collaborated with the
Pellas Gallery, Boston

with support of the
Mass Cultural Council's

Cultural Investment Portfolio

and hosted an interactive workshop

featuring Nygel Jones and Hoverlay.

BREAKING THE FRAME:

FROM WALL ON THE GALLERY WALL...

...TO ART IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD

When was this? May 24, 2022
Where was this? Pellas Gallery, Boston

Artist Tamiko Thiel
has said that
"augmented reality
is the street art
of the 21st century."

If so, how does -- how can -- that kind of street art come off -- artistically, technologically, publicly? What are the benefits -- for the artist, for the public, for public spaces? What can that technology contribute to the artist's work, to the public's experience of/participation in that work, and to the place where that work will be sited?

To get us going...

Artist Nygel Jones talked about his art -- both inside the frame and, via augmented reality, outside the frame -- and how social and physical elements of the outside world inform the move from one to the other.

Nicolas Robbe from Hoverlay identified the various kinds of opportunities provided by augmented reality's immersive qualities to take art out into the work -- in ways that generate new opportunities for civic engagement and community-building.

And to continue the brainstorming...

Workshop participants were given the chance to imagine how, in fact, they can use this kind of technology to enrich their own public spaces and bring enhanced meanings to their environments.

If you were unable to join us for these or other events, but would like to participate in future workshops and/or have ideas for a potential workshop, please contact Ron Mallis at ron.mallis@bostonapp.org.

APP/LAB ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE