An artist decorating one of many painted metal boxes around Boston.
I am currently half human and half icicle due to wandering outside in Boston’s winter for 3 hours with a foolishly thin jacket, but that’s all right.
Why?
Because the reason I was outside was to go on a famous Context Tour of Boston’s Big Dig!
I am thrilled to report that thanks to the tour, my noggin is now sparkling with countless new Boston facts, and my camera now brims with 100 fresh photos.
All of these facts and photos will be converted into articles for YOU in the next few weeks, but until then, let’s revel in something that leapt out at me on my trudge back home: Pretty public art makes the world a better place!
The glowing shape-robot sculpture loves you.
Examine these two examples.
The first photo is one of the many painted boxes around Boston, in the act of being created. What’s inside those ubiquitous boxes, anyway? Traffic light guts? Security apparatus? Gremlins? Who knows. But I do know that in neighborhoods all over this city, the bland metal boxes are beautified by both artists and community groups. Yay!
I wonder how this decorating brigade gets activated. Are the artists sought out and hired? Do groups or individuals petition to do it? Dear readers, if you know, enlighten us!
The second photo is a group of sculptures by Rowes Wharf near South Station in Downtown Boston, which is part of one of the many sculpture groups that delightfully dot the new Greenway that replaced the repulsive Central Artery highway. (More on this highway in subsequent post-tour articles!)
Now check out this shape-robot sculpture and just try not to smile. The form is very human-like, innit? And you can see the pulsing blue glow in the middle (which also turns reddish, in person), right? Let out a little chuckle as you realize that is the beating heart of the shape-robot who is clearly in love with you. 
You can really see how the art brightens the street!
Artists are heroes. (Incidentally, the workmen who carried out my giant broken refrigerator and lugged in the new one are also heroes. There are a lot of unsung heroes in this world, for sure.)
Artists who create Public Art make our eyes happier and our lives brighter.
Sometimes they take it too far and tick off folks, throwing in our path their crazy expanses of metal, or jagged edges, or gaudy colors (I love how that artist man’s coat matches the mustard-colored flowers in his creation), or risque innuendoes…
… but in the end their hearts and their smarts and their art are in the right place: our faces. Because let’s accept it: our days can ALWAYS use a little color and a little shakin’-it-up.
Hip hip hooray for the Public Art creators of the world. Keep it up!
Want to see some gorgeous graffiti (aka pretty public art) from Grenada, Spain? Click here!
Prefer your Public Art on the totally freakish side? Click here for a photo of me pulling the finger of a giant alien sculpture (like GIANT and CREEPY) in Bangkok, Thailand!
Boston's lovely Custom House Tower with shape-robot sculptures below on the Greenway!
One of my favorites are on the green trail in boston. The painted boxes are so pretty espically in the night time because you get to see the blue or red glowing light in the middle. It would be so exciting if we actually made one in real life.
I’ve seen many of the painted metal boxes in Boston. My favorite one is a painting of bamboo sticks near Downtown.
These pictures are WONDERFUL! how do you come across such unique things? I am jealous :p
You take awesome pictures. It almost wants me to stay in Boston
This article reminds me of the time some public artists came to my school in 5th grade. We made flowers from soda bottles and made a bouquet that was put on a sidewalk on Marginal Road. It was really fun!
I love public art and it kind of reminds me of the when I was in K1, my whole class was able to see one of of those sidewalk chalk art people making a picture. It was so beautiful it looked very realistic! Too bad it rained the same day.
The shape-robot pieces look like high-tech fly traps with the blue lights inside them.
I love public art! It’s so beautiful and creative!
Nice photos–public art is nice, even my little town has such art down town at street corners. In late Sept and early October, Grand Rapids MI hosts ArtPrize–there were over a 1000 entries, from small pieces to huge works–I didn’t get to see them all even though I spent a day there. But it is neat as the public can vote on the winners.
Great photos! It was a brave, intrepid group on this tour given the November winds, but well worth it.
I love public art, we get a lot of beautiful street art in London but one of my favourites I saw in Charlottesville, west Viriginia. It was a monolith of a blackboard, engraved with the freedom of speech act and open to all ages and everyone to write & draw whatever they wanted, brilliant!! These things really lift the energy of a place.
I found some pics of it here…http://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q=charlottesville+blackboard&s=int
Have you heard of the Space Invaders graffiti which started in Paris? You should probably look it up. I don’t know if there are any in Boston but the guy who makes them has put some around New York City.
I love public art, I’ve seen this somewhere before in New York. I wonder if they could get arrested. But I do appreciate people’s public art.
I also enjoy passing the nice art and sculptures in Boston especially while walking through the commons
I love this public art. This kind of thing can really dress up an otherwise dull city or town. I’d love to see more of it in Daejeon, Korea, where I’m living.
I see these when I go to Forest Hills too. They’re so bright! I’m surprised they don’t need a permit. When they decorate and paint the sights on the street, is it considered graffiti? I’d love to see these around more often. They’re very eye catching.
There are two of the painted metal boxes by Forest Hills station. It’s really cool to see them on the way to school. I think it is awesome that someone took the time to paint them! Those sculptures were really cool to. I like how they look.
How do they make all of these?I would like to learn.
The decorated metal boxes are absolutely amazing! I remember passing by one on a rainy day. It was a painting of a bright blue sky with numerous white clouds. It really stood out.