 |
| Deborah Butterfield, "Henry and Paint" |
I found a sculpture by one of my favorite artists, Deborah Butterfield, near Copley Square. The sculpture is positioned in front of the Neiman Marcfus building. It's a semi-abstract horse, which mirrors the history of the Neiman Marcus building and its two competing owners. Although I'm not as pleased with the overall outcome of this piece, like some of Butterfield's other sculptures, I still enjoyed it immensely.
I provided another example of Butterfield's artwork, which I find more aesthetically interesting. I feel she has incorporated its surroundings in a more effective way. I was confused by the oddly landscaped area around Henry and Paint.
 |
| Nancy Pochis Bank and Tracee Badway, Cool Globes |
While in Copley Square I checked out a new exhibit called Cool Globes. An exhibit I now love! The idea is: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, which hopes to raise awareness about solutions for climate change! (I'm going to use exclaimation marks for this entire description.) The exhibit has toured all over the country and even internationally. The globes feature many inspirational pictures catered toward the city which they are currently displayed in. One I viewed captures three orange and blue runners popping out of different
city skyline views. Each runner has their arms raised, about to
break the finish line tape at the Boston Marathon. This globe eludes to the recent, terrible bombings of Boston. The plaque next to it links the challenge of global warming to
marathon training by saying: “the most powerful form of renewable energy is
willpower—nowhere is this more evident than in Boston."
Also I found a quote online, which really excited me: "it is our hope that the
millions of people who have experienced the exhibit, leave with a vast
array of solutions to climate change, and with one clear message….we can
solve this." VERY EXCITING!!!
Then I ran across an interview with Wendy Abrams, the Cool Globes founder. She said "I never considered myself an environmentalist. To me, an
environmentalist was a guy in a raft protesting to save the whales as he
drifted in the Pacific. But in 2001, that changed when I casually
stumbled upon a Time magazine article about global warming, depicting
potentially catastrophic consequences within the century. As a mother of
four, this hit a nerve – the next century is my children’s lifetime. I
was suddenly motivated to act and spent the next five years educating
myself by joining environmental groups, attending conferences, meeting
with scientists and becoming engaged in the political debate." This struck me as very powerful, since environmentalists have a tendency to come off as eccentric hippies and not your every day mother.
 |
| Nancy Shon, Hare and Tortoise |
Another artwork I've always enjoyed in the Copley Square area is "Hare and Tortoise". Obviously this sculpture is commentary on the Boston Marathon, which ends in this location. I personally resonate with sculpture, I use to be on the Track and Cross Country teams here at BU and understand the power of persistence, which the tortoise symbolizes. I think the artist positioned the hare in a wonderful pose, he sits scratching his ear. The point comes across immediately without needing any context. Also I like the idea of "slow" which I feel this sculpture comments on. In this era where speed and efficiency of time is so emphasized it's great for viewers to be aware of how precious "slow" is.
 |
| Lewis Cohen, John Singleton Copley |
Of course, while in Copley you have to visit the bronze sculpture of Copley himself. Copley was a painter in Colonial America, I find it encouraging that the square was named after a painter! Lewis Cohen chose to sculpt John Copley in an extremely tradition manner. This seems only fitting since Copley's style was very realistic and traditional. Personally I find this sculpture skillful, but not intriguing. I feel it is plain and straight forward, nothing that stands out of captures my attention. I wish the artist would have made it more contemporary.
 |
| Unknown Artist? |
I came upon my last outdoor sculpture as I walked back from Copley Square via Armory Park. I was expecting to find the fifth artwork another day, but decided upon this one. It grew on me too. At first it seemed very plain, nothing special, but as I watched the public's reaction to it I realized most people really enjoyed it. Many people came up to it with interest, walked around it for multiple views and finally sit down on it. Even dogs and their owners toyed with it, one jumped up on it and posed for its owner! I left this piece with a sense of approval, what a neat ability art has to interact with people.
