BOSTON, MASS.- Seaport announced its newest contemporary public art installation: a large-scale mural by artist Frank Stella, widely renowned as one of the most important American living art makers and a native of Massachusetts. In partnership with Marianne Boesky Gallery, Seaport has commissioned Stella to create one of the largest public art installations of his 60-year career, a mural reproduction of his seminal painting, Damascus Gate (Stretch Variation I), 1970. Global creative house Justkids oversaw the production of the mural, which is visible on the façade of One Seaport (60 Seaport Boulevard Boston MA).
A native of Malden, Massachusetts, Frank Stella is a painter, sculptor, and printmaker celebrated for his work in the areas of minimalism and post-painterly abstraction. His vast contribution to American art began in 1959 with his minimalist series, Black Paintings. Damascus Gate (Stretch Variation I) originated in 1970, as part of Stella’s acclaimed Protractor series, and it combines abstract geometric compositions to create a mystifying visual experience that shifts radically when viewed from different perspectives. The Seaport reproduction is 98x18 feet, allowing viewers to experience it from diverse locations and perspectives across the neighborhood. Named after ancient sites in Asia Minor, Damascus Gate features squares and circles, intersected by what Stella calls ‘interlaces,’ ‘rainbows,’ and ‘fans.’
“As we continue our work in Boston's newest neighborhood, bringing internationally recognized works of public art into the public realm for all to enjoy is a top priority for us. Frank Stella’s Damascus Gate is an iconic work that we hope all Bostonians will proudly recognize as a very public symbol of the Seaport’s commitment to innovation in the visual arts,” says Yanni Tsipis, Senior Vice President, WS Development - Seaport.
Over the past two years, Seaport has worked with an array of local and international artists to bring 10 distinct public art installations to the district. The Frank Stella mural production coincides with the one-year anniversary of Seaport’s notable commission of Air Sea Land, whereby renowned Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel created seven sculptures exclusively for the neighborhood; Air Sea Land has since become a signature focal point along Seaport Boulevard. Additional Seaport commissions of note include Loop, a series of giant illuminated cylinders placed in the One Seaport Courtyard; Impulse, a collection of illuminating and sound producing seesaws placed on Seaport Common; and 20 Knots: Daffodils for Boston, which saw 20 larger-than-life daffodils emerge for Marathon Weekend in the district.
