MBTA Art: Then and Now
Commentary by Erika Keith
Initally the MBTA, UrbanArts and Boston Contemporary Writers executed their plan to erect monuments throughout the nine Orange Line T stops; this alliance was not the only example of public art implemented in Boston's transit systems. The project, titled Arts in Transit, was one of the earliest implementations of public art. However, some of the first public art achievements began in 1979, through the Cambridge Arts Council (CAC), who responded to the MBTA's decision to extend the Red Line. At the time, director of CAC, Chris Connaire, explained, "The idea was to get contemporary art out of the museums and into people's lives in a very direct way" (Goodale 1). In Cambridge, collaboration took place between "designers, artists, MBTA officials, and citizen boards" (Goodale 1). The partners all agreed that the public art must meet "specialized criteria," as it must "last under tough undergrounds as well as outdoor conditions for at least 75 years, be relatively maintenance-free, not to mention vandal resistant" (Goodale 1).
The Cambridge Arts Council helped set framework for the eventual collaboration between the MBTA and UrbanArts Boston Contemporary Writers. Despite this, the art along the Orange Line did not meet original guidelines set by the CAC, during the Red Line's artistic renovation. The monuments along the Orange Line have not suffered through time well, and many of the engraved texts are almost completely illegible twenty years later.
At the time, the Orange Line's development was one of the largest constructions in Boston's history, costing a total of $791.6 million (Overbea 1). Reconstruction of the Orange Line was completely covered by the cost. A small percentage of the budget was allotted for the collaboration between UrbanArts and the Contemporary Writers as they worked to create Arts in Transit. For both train lines, renovations that took place in the late seventies and early eighties, "one half of one percent of the construction budget was used for art acquisition" (Ribadeneira 1). In a 1984, Luix Overbea's Christian Science Monitor article explained how the submissions from artists would help "provide a permanent art project and an educational program" (2). Luix Overbea was able to contribute his own work to the "permanent art project." Luix's piece, Hometown is still featured at the Roxbury Crossing T stop.
As dialogue continues, art in the MBTA is still an extremely overlooked aspect of the public transportation system. There are well over "75 pieces of public art on the Green, Blue, Red, and Orange MBTA lines" (Ribadeneira 1). Most artwork in the MBTA, including the monuments, reflect Boston's history. As MBTA arts coordinator, Joseph White concludes, "plaques would help commuters realize the works are more than decorations" (Ribadeneira 1).
Although the MBTA piloted merging art and public transportation, most station monuments have "become covered with metal brake dust and other pollutants, or are otherwise in need of repair" (Ribadeneira 1). The cost of monument repairs may reach as high as $40,000, as in the case with Porter Square's windmill structure. Despite wear and tear on monuments such as, At Roxbury Crossing by Jeannette Winthrop, Orange Line damages have not been repaired. In response to the continuous need for maintenance, Joseph White worked in the nineties to create, Adopt the Arts (Ribadeneira 1). Adopt the Arts, a program offering the public the opportunity to adopt a piece of art, contributes funds to maintain the many pieces of public art featured along transportation lines. As anticipated by White, tax-deductible donations made to the program, facilitate "label[ing] works" in an attempt to "create a guide for commuters" (Ribadeneira 2). Despite White's initial progress with Adopt the Arts, it is obvious that his program has since disappeared from the public eye. For those interested, the opportunity to help preserve Boston's public art still exists, and more information can be found upon visiting the Visual Arts section of the City of Boston website. A link can be found in the Additional Links section of this website.
