Graffiti and Street Art in Somerville

Boston will never be a Mecca for graffiti or street art - which means that when I do catch a colorful glimpse of spray-paint it really makes an impression. Much of the time I'm in a car or on the T and I spy something out of the corner of my eye in some dark alley or underpass. The truth is - I don't spend as much time partying along the train tracks as I used to. So when I saw easy access to this stretch of tracks while walking in Somerville I boldly looked both ways for oncoming trains and took some photos.

Nice to see Wolf Tits back in the scene. I was bummed when the one in Chinatown got covered.

I found some other crazy crap scattered about the train tracks. I don't like to use filters on my photos too much, but sometimes they actually work...

And here's an example of some rare street art sculpture...

Beware the Owel Shot...

The hunt for underground art in Boston

When I stroll into a Back Bay or Soho type gallery – the sort with mostly bare walls, where the host barely looks up from their ipad to acknowledge me – I want to scream “THIS IS NOT ART”!!! It’s all too easy, and clean, and safe…and boring.

My tastes dip down towards the underground – with styles often regarded as low-brow or outsider art. I prefer to enjoy a Gansett Tallboy rather than a glass of Chardonnay when art gazing. Many artists of this ilk got their start on the streets or along train tracks; armed with cans of spray paint or a handful of stickers. Simply put - we need more places to bring these creative souls indoors and offer them the opportunity to develop their talent. 

The hunt for these artists in Boston can be an adventure in and of itself - and might require a trip into a neighborhood that’s not considered artsy fartsy. Secret spots are out there - hiding in coffee shops, rock clubs and temporary loft spaces throughout the city. And here’s a tip – original art can be affordable...and it’s all very satisfying to support a scrappy young artist that's well deserved.

 One place that consistently showcases new and underground art is Sweetree Ink in Watertown, MA. It’s owned and curated by Dave Tree, front man of the longtime Boston hardcore band Tree. It’s also his silk screening shop, a place where he will screen-print any design conceivable onto any piece of clothing or flat surface imaginable. The shop is notorious for its silkscreen parties where guests bring their own clothes and fabrics and can choose from over 100 different designs.

 Sweetree Ink tends to have group shows with a dozen or more artists. The walls of the small space on Mt. Auburn Street are usually covered top to bottom in art. The space might not have museum grade lighting and perfectly hung paintings – but the opening parties are pretty righteous and I wouldn't want my art to be served any other way… 

The only regret I have from a recent visit to Sweetree is that I didn't get a list of all the artist names - but here are a few that I was already familiar with: Adam O'Day, Ian Sanity, Joey Mars and Carl Ristaino. 

Joey Mars

Adam O'Day (bought this one for my girlfriend)

Artist doing art stuff

Dave Tree be like..."you gonna buy some fucking art?!?!?!"

Now go buy some art...

My Calling for Boston

This is a parody...just having fun and makin' some shit up over here.

The actual Boston Calling line-up was recently announced and features the likes of Beck, the Pixies, Tenacious D, TV On The Radio and local up and comers Krill. I like these bands (I've seen all but the Pixies live) and I honestly don't know much about the rest (my tastes lean more towards indie/low-fi/garage/noise) - but if I was king of City Hall Plaza, this is how the show would go down...

This is not my concert dream team by any stretch of the imagination, it's simply a reflection of what I've been listening to recently combined with some artists I wouldn't mind seeing this year. I like to think it would make a pretty decent weekend show. I'd love to see Boston Calling add a few more local bands - I've included four here. I'm pretty sure most of these bands will be touring in 2015 or are working on new material (Tool, Sleater-Kinney, New Order) - so it's a somewhat realistic fantasy that this bill could actually come together.

If you're from Boston Calling, feel free to book this show for the Fall. Just throw me some free VIP passes and beer tickets. K...thanks.

Twitter = @iFnLuvBos

Here are some of my favorite video jams from my fake show...

Woven Hand

Death from Above 1979

Royal Blood

Jeff the Brotherhood 

Red Fang (this video is epic! #beer)

The Coup

King Tuff

OFF!

OFF! (a punk rock opera)

Saul Williams

Ice Age

Parquet Courts

Jittery Jack (local)

The Monsieurs (local)

one more from the Monsieurs

The New Highway Hymnal

This show wouldn't suck, right?

The new Harvard Art Museum is open! And it's a big deal...

Harvard's Fogg Art Museum is dead - long live the Harvard Art Museums! When I did visit the Fogg sometime in the 90's I remember being somewhat underwhelmed, not by the art, but by the space. It was an old world type museum, musty and dim...like something from the ancient Greek empire. This new incarnation of art on the outskirts of Harvard Yard is nothing less than a world class museum. It's not like the art has changed - and Vincent Van Gogh's self portrait does not need an introduction, but the layout and flow along with the addition of natural light makes the space much more inviting...

The current space is located in the building that used to house the Fogg collection, but after seven years of expansionism and modernization you'd hardly know it. The Fogg was the first Harvard art museum, opened to the public in 1896. Two other museums, the Busch-Reisinger Museum and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum have added their collections to the Fogg's and they are all now united under this one glass ceiling. 

I snuck in on Tuesday during opening week an hour before the museum closed - admission was free as part of a grand opening promotion. I performed a brisk tour - unable to hover and contemplate each work and it's importance to my being. What came to mind about half way through my tour was this: holy shit - I can't believe a collection of masterpieces worth billions is a mere a short bike ride from my house!

The collection ranges from ancient Roman and Minoan to to modern and contemporary. If you've ever taken an art history class you will immediately recognize pieces from textbooks and PBS documentaries.

Yep - that right there (above) is a Picasso from his blue period.

The collection holds lots of religious content - did anyone paint anything else during the Renaissance? I would liked to have seen a bit more contemporary work and sculptures, but overall I enjoyed the diversity. 

I get really bored in museums that feature one medium or period. I mean, how many mummy's or medieval suits of armor can you stand in one day. So if you've got the A.D.D.'s, this might be your new favorite museum.

  

The Harvard Art Museum is a monumental addition to the cultural landscape of Boston. If you've been to the MFA umpteen times and you realize the Gardener ain't ever going to change, you now have something to look forward to. I recommend going right meow! 

Now, would someone please go build the Boston History Museum already!

  

Dirty Old Belmont Water Tower

Seeing the last gasps of warm weather in New England on the horizon, I decided to get out on my bike for one last monster ride. I brought along my camera thinking that I'd take some colorful photos of pretty leaves and other typical Boston area seasonal landscape crap. After a couple hours on side roads and looping trails in Belmont, I still hand't taken the camera out of my pocket. Being a long time New England boy - I guess I'm all set with big yellow trees.

Oh wait - I did take one nature shot...

 
But then I started finding some subject matter more suitable to my tastes. This was on the side of an abandoned barn.

Yeah, yeah...I know it's not a Banksy. But I'm a sucker for all forms of graffiti and street art - be it in the woods or the ghetto. After climbing some hills I noticed an old water tower that was marked up...

Now that's what I call a successful bike ride. But there was still one more surprise - a form of artistic expression that pre-dates spray-paint (and all paint). I've seen all kinds of crazy man-made rock structures buried in the woods, lost to time - rock walls, rock circles, standing stones, cairns, effigies - but this stone circle in the shape of a labyrinth was completely unexpected...

You can see some of the labyrinth pattern from this angle...

A lot of antiquities similar to this have been associated with Native Americans, but my gut tells me this was probably laid down when Belmont was all farmland, prior to the train tracks that were built nearby in 1840. It's about 30 feet in diameter and the headstone points East.

But maybe it is much older, it's really hard to tell with something like this. The New England landscape has changed dramatically over the last 500 years, but with over 100,000 Native Americans living on these lands in 1500 it would be pretty naive to think that they didn't leave their mark here in Dirty Old Belmont - and elsewhere throughout New England.

Cruising Boston Harbor for a mere $10, or to the Islands for $15.

On more than one occasion whilst walking past a water taxi stop in the Seaport I've said to myself, or whoever was in earshot, I’m going to jump on one of these rickety boats some day and cruise around the Harbor like I’m captain of the seas.

And that’s exactly what my girlfriend and I did one splendid summer evening.  Our cruise director / captain couldn't have been more accommodating – when we were asked "where to?", we shrugged and pointed out to sea. So we floated around the bay for 45 minutes or so, harassing other passengers and offering up advice to tourists and businessmen – the captain put up with us graciously, and might have even enjoyed the company. But alas, the pleasure cruise could not last all night, so we jumped off in Charlestown and headed to the Warren Tavern for a beer. It was well worth the $10.

For something a bit more extravagant, there are plenty of other boating options that venture farther out into the bay. When I had some family in town recently we opted for a classic Gatsby-era yacht named the Beacon - operated by the Classic Harbor Line. It’s not a giant behemoth, and more importantly it was built with a beautiful mahogany bar to complete the feeling of a 1920s style vessel. 

Enjoying a leisurely cruise out past the scenic Harbor Islands as strangers on other boats wave to you as if this is your farewell voyage.

The captain will spit out just enough bits and pieces of history and trivia to his passengers without the trip becoming too much like a cheesy Duck Boat tour.  

Boston’s Harbor Islands have a long history – I could go on and on about forts and prisons and Native Americans, but I’ll just post some pretty pictures instead.

Many of the Boston Harbor Islands are accessible via a brief ferry ride from Long Wharf. The most popular being Spectacle and George’s Island – where facilities such as bathrooms and a snack bar can be found. Connections can be made from these Islands to explore Peddocks, Lovells or Bumpkin Islands. These pictures are from Spectacle Island in September of 2014...

If there's nothing available at the snack bar that pleases your palette you can forage for your lunch or maybe chase a down a turkey and make a sandwich.

The Ferry is a great bargain – it’s only $15 to get out to George’s or Spectacle and you won’t find a better view of the Boston skyline for a picnic.

A somewhat newer addition to the Boston Harbor is the very visible Nantucket Light Ship.

It’s docked in Eastie and it's in the midst of a complete renovation. Tours are available, but they are sporadic – look into availability before you head over.

                                        

The man who saved this ship and brought it to Boston. Awesome dude.

Land Ho!  Thanks for cruising my blog today and we'll see you soon...