Encore Boston Harbor announced this week its partnership with Goldman Global Arts (GGA), the curators of the Wynnwood Walls in Miami, to develop two murals located on Alford Street near the Charlestown/Everett line. Together, Encore and GGA have commissioned world-renowned artists Tavar Zawacki and Okuda San Miguel to create the large-scale public art display. Painting began on Oct. 11 and is now complete.
“We are pleased to partner with Goldman Global Arts, a respected national leader in the public art space, to bring these large-scale art installations to life on lower Broadway,” said Matt Maddox, CEO of Wynn Resorts. “Creating an entertainment district adjacent to Encore is incredibly exciting to us. This is the very beginning of our effort to stimulate and engage people’s imagination for the future.”
“Goldman Global Arts uses art to transform the familiar into the extraordinary. We are very excited to have teamed up with Wynn Resorts to add to the already exceptional progress happening in the Everett entertainment district,” said Jessica Goldman Srebnick. “Public art is an important component in creating street life. It is our desire to continue to bring color, texture and joy to communities around the United States. We are honored to be working in Boston.”
Zawacki is an American contemporary artist best known for his three different styles of street works; multi-layer, full color social and political stencils, colorful abstract arrow compositions and large text-based painted murals. His works have been showcased in galleries and creative institutions around the world since 2005. At the age of 19, he moved to Paris where he started painting his trademark above arrow icon. The concept Zawacki created for the Alford Street installation was inspired by the length of the wall and visualizes a gradient design that “runs” 146-feet along Alford Street.
“As with all of my murals, I aim to create a design that is complimentary to the structure of the wall. The design inspiration here builds off a previous mural project I created where I learned how to paint gradients on a lengthy scale,” said Zawacki. “I am excited to expand my previous knowledge and design the more refined Boston Harbor mural. I choose a color palette that is highly personal to my associations with a visit I made to New England in 2016.”
Spanish-born Okuda San Miguel is considered to be one of the most renowned artists among the contemporary art movement, celebrated for his unique geometric structures and patterns that have developed their own instantly recognizable iconographic language. Featured in hundreds of solo and group exhibitions, his works can be seen in streets and galleries around the world including India, Mali, Mozambique, United States, Japan, South America, South Africa, Mexico, many parts of Europe and beyond. Highly sought after for large scale projects. Okuda is perhaps best known for his conversion of an abandoned Spanish church aptly named Kaos Temple, which has become a new icon of contemporary art.
“I created a rainbow background as an atmosphere for diversity where we find animals in different states of transformation into magical beings – a reference to ancient cultures that had a greater connection with nature by acquiring the identity of animals in their rituals. The composition sets to highlight the necessity to find a more balanced relationship between animals and humans,” says Okuda San Miguel of his mural, titled ‘Magical Animal.’
In addition to his newest mural Okuda San Miguel’s ‘Air Sea Land’ collection can also be seen in Boston lining Seaport Boulevard.
The new murals are painted on Eversource-owned walls outside its Mystic substation following a partnership between Encore Boston Harbor and the energy company.
“We’re thrilled to have the mural painted at our substation,” said Eversource President of Transmission Katherine Prewitt. “This particular artwork offers an aesthetic touch that fits in very well with the community and provides a beautiful façade to our property. We’re proud to have partnered with the cities of Boston and Everett, and the Encore Boston Harbor to support this project.”
Goldman Global Arts is a Miami and New York-based creative collective founded by Jessica Goldman Srebnick and Peter Tunney. GGA strives to elevate the platform of street art and public art as an instrument of change.