What is the Freedom Public Art Project?
VietAID, in coordination with the Boston Art Commission, is commissioning a permanent public art work in the entry plaza adjacent to the James M. Collyer Field House at Doherty-Gibson Park (also known as Town Field) in Dorchester, MA. The goal is to create an original, site-specific, and highly visible work to celebrate and commemorate journeys to freedom and identify Fields Corner as a destination for business and culture.
Juanjo Novella, an internationally-recognized sculptor of public art, was selected as the artist for the project. He proposes a tall, curved sculpture called “Freedom Home” comprised of the word “freedom” repeated in multiple languages that will be lit up at night. The sculpture is inspired by the mountainous island cliffs in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay as well as the shapes of the roads and rails that circumscribe Fields Corner. The artist seeks to integrate the piece into the neighborhood and make it accessible to all in the community. The sculpture will have an open door and will sit in the center of the plaza that currently is occupied by a circular plantings bed. This will allow people to interact with the piece and walk through and around it.
As part of this project, VietAID is working with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department to create a new landscape design for the plaza. Through this project, we will select a Boston-area landscape architect to develop a plan that both responds to the local community and complements the artwork. The new landscaping will enhance the appearance and increase the utility of the plaza. The landscape design project is funded by Fund for the Arts, a public art program of the New England Foundation for the Arts.
Donate
Please help us make this project a reality by making a charitable donation. Please specify “Freedom Public Art Project” in the special instructions field.
Connect with Us
Meeting Minutes, Agendas and Announcements
2014-11-07: Renowned Artist Chosen to Create Public Art Celebrating Freedom in Fields Corner
2014-10-20: Artists Presentation Meeting Flyer
2014-07-31: Doherty-Gibson Site Visit and Walking Tours
2014-07-22: Finalists Selected For Freedom Public Art Project
2014-05-28: Artist Q&A Meeting Minutes
2014-05-07: Community Meeting Minutes
2014-05-01: Community Meeting Flyer
2014-01-09: Community Meeting Minutes
2013-06-15: Survey Results
Press Coverage
2014-11-17: Fields Corner’s New Art Installment will Celebrate Freedom & Diversity
2014-11-10: Artist chosen to create Fields Corner sculpture
2014-08-14: One of These Artists Will Define Freedom in Fields Corner
2014-06-19: ‘Freedom’ is the artist’s charge in Town Field project
2014-06-10: Field’s Corner Public Art Project Aims to Make Freedom Ring
2014-01-16: City Plans Renovations, Public Art for Town Field Park
Site Information
Doherty-Gibson Park (also known as Town Field) is in the Fields Corner area of Dorchester. The park is owned and maintained by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, which is undertaking a separate field improvement project in the fall of 2014. The athletic fields are scheduled by the All Dorchester Sports League (ADSL) and they are used continuously in warmer months. The park consists of a regulation baseball diamond, softball/little league diamond, two basketball courts, a children’s playground, and ADSL’s field house which contains an office, fitness center, and an education/computer learning center.
Artist Application & Selection Process
The Freedom Public Art Project application process was conducted online, with all materials submitted in digital format through the CaFÉ ™ website.
Finalists’ Design Concept Proposals & Public Comments
Boston’s Guidelines for Public Art
Boston Art Commission Guidelines for Permanent Public Art