Public Space

Leaving the hallway, we enter the Assembly Foyer and see five photographs by well-known Boston photographer David Akiba. David Akiba was known for photographing the Emerald Necklace and the Boston Ballet among many other subjects (his son being a principal dancer allowed him access behind the scenes). These particular photographs depict spots along the Emerald Necklace and we’re particularly excited to have them facing the Boston Public Garden, the crown jewel of the necklace itself. To have that jewel of the necklace looking at these five photographs by someone who thought it was beautiful enough to record, is a perfect conversation between the space and the garden itself.

Leaving the hallway, we enter the Assembly Foyer and see five photographs by well-known Boston photographer David Akiba. David Akiba was known for photographing the Emerald Necklace and the Boston Ballet among many other subjects (his son being a principal dancer allowed him access behind the scenes). These particular photographs depict spots along the Emerald Necklace and we’re particularly excited to have them facing the Boston Public Garden, the crown jewel of the necklace itself. To have that jewel of the necklace looking at these five photographs by someone who thought it was beautiful enough to record, is a perfect conversation between the space and the garden itself.

Leaving the hallway, we enter the Assembly Foyer and see five photographs by well-known Boston photographer David Akiba. David Akiba was known for photographing the Emerald Necklace and the Boston Ballet among many other subjects (his son being a principal dancer allowed him access behind the scenes). These particular photographs depict spots along the Emerald Necklace and we’re particularly excited to have them facing the Boston Public Garden, the crown jewel of the necklace itself. To have that jewel of the necklace looking at these five photographs by someone who thought it was beautiful enough to record, is a perfect conversation between the space and the garden itself.

Leaving the hallway, we enter the Assembly Foyer and see five photographs by well-known Boston photographer David Akiba. David Akiba was known for photographing the Emerald Necklace and the Boston Ballet among many other subjects (his son being a principal dancer allowed him access behind the scenes). These particular photographs depict spots along the Emerald Necklace and we’re particularly excited to have them facing the Boston Public Garden, the crown jewel of the necklace itself. To have that jewel of the necklace looking at these five photographs by someone who thought it was beautiful enough to record, is a perfect conversation between the space and the garden itself.

Leaving the hallway, we enter the Assembly Foyer and see five photographs by well-known Boston photographer David Akiba. David Akiba was known for photographing the Emerald Necklace and the Boston Ballet among many other subjects (his son being a principal dancer allowed him access behind the scenes). These particular photographs depict spots along the Emerald Necklace and we’re particularly excited to have them facing the Boston Public Garden, the crown jewel of the necklace itself. To have that jewel of the necklace looking at these five photographs by someone who thought it was beautiful enough to record, is a perfect conversation between the space and the garden itself.

As you enter the Newbury Salon Foyer, you see three haunting color photographs by photographer Amy Arbus. Amy is another artist that addresses legacy and history specifically as she is from a family of artists with her mother being Dianne Arbus and her father being the actor, Allan Arbus. These photographs are from a series she calls ‘After Images’ and they actually feel like they might be somewhere between paintings and photographs. Born from the memory of the experience of growing up in a crowded apartment in New York City and going to visit her favorite paintings in museums and libraries, these photographs talk about what it’s like to have a private experience in a public space and where you can go see ‘your’ Cezanne or ‘your’ Matisse paintings and have your own private moment even though you may be surrounded by people. The three photographs depicted here are after a Picasso painting, a Modigliani painting, and a Cezanne painting. We are very pleased that the photograph ’Nina After Chignon’ is after a Picasso painting that is right here in Cambridge at the Harvard Art Museum. Interestingly the subjects in these paintings were painted themselves, which gives them the historic looks of the original paintings. So the fabric was painted, the faces were made up and in some cases the skin itself was painted. Often one object in each photograph was left real. The backdrop, or the necklace, or something like a piece of fabric or a piece of hair.

As you enter the Newbury Salon Foyer, you see three haunting color photographs by photographer Amy Arbus. Amy is another artist that addresses legacy and history specifically as she is from a family of artists with her mother being Dianne Arbus and her father being the actor, Allan Arbus. These photographs are from a series she calls ‘After Images’ and they actually feel like they might be somewhere between paintings and photographs. Born from the memory of the experience of growing up in a crowded apartment in New York City and going to visit her favorite paintings in museums and libraries, these photographs talk about what it’s like to have a private experience in a public space and where you can go see ‘your’ Cezanne or ‘your’ Matisse paintings and have your own private moment even though you may be surrounded by people. The three photographs depicted here are after a Picasso painting, a Modigliani painting, and a Cezanne painting. We are very pleased that the photograph ’Nina After Chignon’ is after a Picasso painting that is right here in Cambridge at the Harvard Art Museum. Interestingly the subjects in these paintings were painted themselves, which gives them the historic looks of the original paintings. So the fabric was painted, the faces were made up and in some cases the skin itself was painted. Often one object in each photograph was left real. The backdrop, or the necklace, or something like a piece of fabric or a piece of hair.

As you enter the Newbury Salon Foyer, you see three haunting color photographs by photographer Amy Arbus. Amy is another artist that addresses legacy and history specifically as she is from a family of artists with her mother being Dianne Arbus and her father being the actor, Allan Arbus. These photographs are from a series she calls ‘After Images’ and they actually feel like they might be somewhere between paintings and photographs. Born from the memory of the experience of growing up in a crowded apartment in New York City and going to visit her favorite paintings in museums and libraries, these photographs talk about what it’s like to have a private experience in a public space and where you can go see ‘your’ Cezanne or ‘your’ Matisse paintings and have your own private moment even though you may be surrounded by people. The three photographs depicted here are after a Picasso painting, a Modigliani painting, and a Cezanne painting. We are very pleased that the photograph ’Nina After Chignon’ is after a Picasso painting that is right here in Cambridge at the Harvard Art Museum. Interestingly the subjects in these paintings were painted themselves, which gives them the historic looks of the original paintings. So the fabric was painted, the faces were made up and in some cases the skin itself was painted. Often one object in each photograph was left real. The backdrop, or the necklace, or something like a piece of fabric or a piece of hair.