City seeks artist for public art project at BPL Roxbury branch

Celina Colby

Celina Colby is an arts and travel reporter with a fondness for Russian novels.... VIEW BIO

Last week, the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and the Boston Art Commission announced a search for an artist or artistic team to create permanent public artwork for the renovated Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library.

Artists nationally and internationally will be considered, but a connection to Roxbury is strongly preferred. The budget for the project is $150,000 and the work is slated to be installed in August 2021. The deadline to apply is Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. An information session will be hosted virtually on Sept. 2.

The artwork will be housed at the main entrance of the library. IMAGE: UTILE, INC.

The artwork will be housed at the main entrance of the library and will be visible from the street. Given this prominent exhibition spot, the Boston Art Commission is hoping to see a piece that speaks to the rich Black history of Roxbury, the newly renamed Nubian Square and the theme of economic justice. This would tie into a potential partnership with The King Center for Economic Justice, a complement to the King memorial artwork slated for the Boston Common.

“Roxbury is home to many artists, activists and community members who have dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort to enhancing our entire city,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, chief of arts and culture for the city of Boston, in a statement. “It’s exciting to be able to celebrate this neighborhood’s contributions and cultural vitality through these new projects.”

This will be the second Roxbury Branch Library commission funded by the Percent for Art program. Artist Joe Wardwell is currently working on a piece for the library in collaboration with poet and former Boston Artist-in-Residence Nakia Hill and youth writers at the YLab at 826 Boston. Their piece will be installed in the interior of the library late this year. Wardwell is a Boston local who received his big artistic break with a large-scale wall drawing at Mass MoCA. That kind of tight connection to the local arts scene will be crucial in the selection of this new artist.

These artworks will accentuate the $17.2 million renovation to the Roxbury Branch. The renovated library will boast dedicated spaces for children, teens and adults, a nutrition and learning lab, more easily navigable spaces and a reimagined collection specifically highlighting Black and African American literature.

“Roxbury has played such a vital role in Boston’s arts and culture scene for many years, so it’s great to be able to bring several new pieces of public art to this community,” said Mayor Walsh. “By integrating artwork into these public spaces, we’re making them more welcoming, vibrant and reflective of the surrounding community.”