The collaboration resulted from a shared interest in engaging and educating the public through group exhibitions that expand the curatorial dialogue in the Greater Boston area. Beasts of Burden originated through the New Art Center’s open call program, the Curatorial Opportunity Program (COP). Through exhibitions and their related programming, artists and diverse communities connect by investigating contemporary culture through the visual arts.
Beasts of Burden, a boisterous exhibition of artwork in diverse media, will be installed in the Harvard Allston Education Portal galleries. Boston based artist and curator Jane O’Hara is “intrigued by the schizophrenic relationship society has with animals. My idea was to find artists who tackle differing aspects of this topic in their artwork.” The exhibition features the work of 13 artists from Boston, New York, and from as far away as Georgia, Canada and California: Tony Bevilacqua, Ariel Bordeaux, Rebecca Doughty, Raul Gonzalez III, Wendy Klemperer, Denise Lindquist, Jo-Anne McArthur, Moira McLaughlin, Sterling Mulbry, Jane O’Hara, Gedas Paskauskas, Jo Tyler and Shannon Wright. The painting is by Raul Gonzalez, La Confianza, 2012, acrylic pastel, color pencil.
In order to share the artists’ processes as well as engage issues of animal advocacy, the exhibition has two related programs. On Tuesday night, March 18 beginning at 6:00 pm, Almitra Stanley will moderate a conversation among Beasts of Burden artists. On Saturday, April 12, beginning at 2:30 pm, non-profit animal advocacy groups Mercy for Animals (MFA) and Great Dog Rescue New England (GDRNE) will present on their missions and services.
About the Presenting Organizations:
Since its founding in 1977, the New Art Center has provided a supportive environment, offering friendly, welcoming ways to engage with art, in both the gallery and the studio. Each year over 2,500 children, teens and adults take hundreds of classes and workshops, and over 4,500 visitors enjoy exhibitions from a wide range of curatorial talent in a striking, conveniently located setting.
Unbound Visual Arts is a non-profit based in Allston-Brighton and serving the Boston area. It was incorporated in late 2012 to enliven the creative economy in contemporary fine art for artists and art supporters through curated exhibitions, education and sharing. To date, Unbound has organized over 30 solo and group theme-based exhibitions at different venues in the area.
The Harvard Allston Education Portal (Ed Portal) is a vibrant space that fosters learning and exploration for Allston-Brighton residents of all ages. The Ed Portal was created to bring Harvard’s greatest strengths, world class teaching and research, to the Allston-Brighton community. The Ed Portal is the Allston-Brighton community’s front door to Harvard’s educational, cultural, arts, and recreational resources. More than a physical space, the Ed Portal is a strong link between the Harvard community and Allston-Brighton community.