ART LIVES HERE! Celebration

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, and The Somerville Arts Council (SAC), in partnership with North River Leerink LLC (NRL), presents “ART LIVES HERE!” – a public art project displaying the talents of local artists from Joy Street Studios and the Brickbottom Artist Association. In creating this vibrant outdoor "museum" to beautify Joy Street, SAC and NRL sought to capture the importance of protecting the art-making community that is unique to the Brickbottom District. 

“‘ART LIVES HERE!’ beautifully showcases the talents of the artists from Joy Street Studios and the Brickbottom Artist Association," said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. "This project serves as a celebration of our artistic community and a reminder of the vibrant spirit that thrives within our city. I encourage Somerville residents and visitors alike to visit this unique public art project and reflect on the invaluable community role played by our local artists.”

The Somerville community is invited to join a walking tour of the installation at 2 p.m., rain or shine. Several artists will speak about their work along the way and there will be musical accompaniment. The walking tour will culminate at Brickbottom Galleries, where there will be a photography opening that is part of the Toy Camera Festival from 3-5 p.m.

“ART LIVES HERE!” 
The “ART LIVES HERE!” project, on view through April 2024, features the works of 22 neighborhood artists conveying how the area's artistic community and art-making spaces foster a vital sense of place within the Brickbottom District. (See full artist list below.)

The artists showcased represent multiple genres yet have similarities in that their selected work tends to be colorful and bold. Artist Pier Gustafson, who has visually chronicled the construction in the Brickbottom area and “enjoys finding interesting subjects in places that may not be seen as beautiful,” showcases a work called “Excavation” that depicts a massive yellow crane at work. Mrinaalika Sivakumar’s featured graphic work, “I’m in Love,” is, in her words, “a representation of her heritage and queer experience.” 

Featured artist Debra Olin says, “Being represented on the wall gives me a sense of belonging and a sense of ownership in this rapidly changing neighborhood… It feels good to be included with the other artists and let folks know that we are here!”

SAC oversaw the competitive selection process and served as Project Manager, while NRL served as the financial sponsor. NRL owns the 86 Joy Street Building, which is home to Joy Street Studios, as well as 14-20 Chestnut Street and 100 Chestnut Street— a 200,000 SF LEED Platinum Life Science development, scheduled to deliver Q3 2023. NRL’s neighborhood activation advisor, Graffito SP, provided creative direction and design services for the scrim itself. Each of the chosen artists was awarded a $600 prize by NRL, alongside individual donations to both the Brickbottom Artist Association and Joy Street Studios for their project support to help fund their broader artist initiatives.

SAC assembled a jury to execute the artwork selection process, which consisted of a broad range of individuals, all of whom are affiliated with the Brickbottom District. Jury members included: Rachel Strutt (Somerville Arts Council), Peter Marquez (Brickbottom Artist Association), Connie Blaszczyk (Brickbottom Artist Association), Rebecca Scott (Joy Street Studios), Anna Burgess (North River Leerink LLC), and Gustavo Quiroga (Graffito SP).  

"What is exciting about this project is that it brings renewed awareness to the incredible artistic vibrancy of the area. Both Brickbottom Artist Association and Joy Street Studios are massive cultural assets to the city and create a strong sense of place within this part of town. This public art project brings the talents of local artists from the inside to the outside and makes a statement about how integral artists are to the local landscape," says Rachel Strutt, Cultural Director, Somerville Arts Council. 

“NRL sees great value in having such a robust artistic community within the Brickbottom District, and we remain committed to promoting their creativity throughout the neighborhood. We are thrilled that our first collaboration with Brickbottom Artist Association and Joy Street Studios produced such a dynamic project, and we look forward to future collaborations with both SAC and the Brickbottom artistic community,” says Andrew Dulac, Vice President, North River Leerink LLC.
 

Featured “Art Lives Here!” Artists:

1. Gonzalo Bacigalupe
2. Mara Callahan
3. Jamie Cascio
4. Zoe-Rose dePaz
5. Pier Gustafson
6. Wiley Holton
7. Sharon Lacey
8. Matthew Lazure
9. Pauline Lim
10. Mark Luiggi
11. Diane Novetsky
12. Debra Olin
13. Richard Pawlak
14. Deborah Peeples
15. Jacky Pullman
16. Jill Rosati
17. Eric Rosenthal
18. Alexandra Rozenman
19. Joanne Simon
20. Mrinaalika Sivakumar
21. Jessica Straus
22. Randal Thurston
 
About the Toy Camera Festival/Exhibit at Brickbottom Studios
Since 2013, the Somerville Toy Camera Festival has celebrated the quirky and creative results that can happen when photographers are forced to loosen their controls, submit to the light, and embrace the accidental. Each year since, the Festival has brought a wide range of toy camera photography by US and international artists together in simultaneous shows at galleries throughout the city, and featured related programming including artist talks/panel discussions, workshops, social events, and a darkroom day. The Somerville Toy Camera Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary in September 2023.

This Brickbottom Gallery opening on September 9 is one of many exhibits and aspects of the 2023 festival. For more information: www.somervilletoycamera.org