Connecting Boston: Public Art at Rose F. Kennedy Greenway

As the snow melts into the grass and the warm, salty breeze sweeps in gently from the bay, the Boston waterfront emerges from its wintry slumber and transforms into an energetic and lively scene. Amid the tourist attractions, historical red-brick sites, and vibrant high-rises, the heart of the city remains a peaceful and idyllic sanctuary. Spanning 1.5 miles from the North End to Chinatown, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a serene oasis within the city, with blossoming nature and engaging attractions, including beautiful fountains, delectable food trucks, and various public art installations.

As visitors promenade through the Greenway, they often encounter beautiful and intricate pieces along the way. The Conservancy’s Public Art Program — the agency responsible for the exhibition — features artworks with profound, distinct meanings and opens new perspectives that honor the city’s inhabitants’ diverse cultures and future in an accessible manner.

The current exhibitions on the Greenway feature six distinctive works that are spread out throughout the promenade for visitors to discover at their own pace. In the northern part of the Greenway — at the Wildflower Meadow — the exhibition commences with Erin Genia’s 2022 piece, “Tuȟmaǧatipi” — a series of star-shaped sculptural arrangements. The delicate, naturalistic forms of the sculptures merge seamlessly with the surrounding flora on the Greenway, responding to its environment while also adding pops of vibrant colors. The word for beehive in the Dakota language, “Tuȟmaǧatipi” is a functional “sculptural habitat and water source” for bees and other pollinating insects, according to Greenway’s website. Utilizing the Dakota morning star in a functional style, the work honors Indigenous sciences and Genia’s Dakota culture, while also helping to restore the urban environment.

Traversing along the Greenway, visitors may next encounter Maria Molteni’s “Gateway to Infinity (An Anti-monument)” features brilliant hues, intricate patterns, and site-specific elements such as the land and sea that captivate the viewers. From various perspectives, the piece seems to magically transform, imbuing itself with a living energy. Molteni — by centering the groundwork on the triskeles/triskelion motif and allowing the visitors to interact directly with the piece.

In the midst of the lush garden, visitors are confronted with the massive mural, “Breathe Life Together,” which is created by Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs. Located on the back of a building, the portrait of a young Black girl towers over the viewer and crouches casually, yet confidently — returning the visitors’ gaze. Despite her young age, the figure looms over the visitors, asserting her presence. The sheer scale of the piece and the glistening golden halo makes the mural stand out conspicuously on the Greenway, as the visitors can view the painting from blocks away. Gibbs, through the monumental portrait of the young girl, gives voice to the community and honors his culture.

On the other end of the Greenway — at the periphery of Chinatown — is Zhidong Zhang’s 2024 piece, “Far Away, From Home.” From a distance, the piece appears familiar and nostalgic, resembling the form of a traditional Chinese furniture piece. Yet upon closer inspection, visitors recognize the intriguing imagery within the shelves — exoticized animal motifs on latex balloons and Chinese Bird-and-Flower Painting. Merging familiar Chinese elements with complex motifs, Zhang powerfully explores themes of “immigration, identity politics, diaspora, and queerness,” according to Greenway’s website, through art that both highlights the culture of Chinatown and demands viewers to reflect on these critical themes.

All six of the public art installations create a coherent exhibition of works that represents the diversity of the city. Each piece honors the artists’ individual backgrounds and invites viewers to deeply engage with the works, offering profound insights into the artists’ lives and reflecting upon their own.

Beyond being freely accessible to the public, many of the pieces further engage the audience with interesting, interactive elements. “Breath Life Together,” for example, offers a coloring page of the mural online, allowing the visitors to create their own versions of the work, while “Gateway to Infinity” hosts meditations and presents a collaborative digital presentation that engages the visitors with the artwork on a deeper level. The Greenway also hosts a variety of events centered around these pieces, such as a public ritual for “Gateway to Infinity” and a block party for “Breath Life Together.”

Connecting the neighborhoods of the city, the Greenway is a space for the Boston community to engage with art and form unique bonds. Offering visually compelling contemporary art and profound insights, the exhibition beautifully showcases the cultures of the city and fosters sincere relationships.