Secondly , the immensely complicated logistics of this project highlighted the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in leveraging Boston ’ s creative capital . Standing on The Greenway looking up at the sculpture , the first tiers of the project management are legible . Coordination between the artist , engineers , contractors and building owners is made clear by the two-inch diameter ropes of the structural net that terminate into chains , shackles and eventually building facades . However , less obvious is the Conservancy ’ s active fundraising over several years . At the beginning , the organization ’ s presence at community meetings helped to generate excitement around the project . They then facilitated the utility work required to extend power and add light fixtures to illuminate the sculpture at night , and also provided the permitting assistance needed from both City and State officials to temporarily close major downtown streets and detour an interstate highway off-ramp for hoisting equipment . Additionally , they aided in coordination to make sure that operations at the Boston Fire Department , Emergency Medical Services outpost and four-star InterContinental Hotel were not impeded during the overnight installation . Even further from the mindseye is the imperative role that the legal and insurance communities played in creating safety provisions and managing the risk of each party involved . While the deeper layers of project partners may not be the first to receive accolades for public art , projects at the magnitude of As If It Were Already Here would simply not be feasible without them . As a community of designers and innovators in Boston , the more we understand the role and importance of each industry , the more successful we will be in our pursuit of cultural diversity and thought-provoking exhibitions .
As a model for collaboration across professions , As If It Were Already Here has exceeded expectations and in doing so , satisfied each of the four principles outlined by The Greenway ’ s strategic plan . The sculpture not only physically connects buildings across the divide that was once an elevated highway , but also brings people together in their shared enjoyment of a work of art . The Greenway ’ s volunteer Arts Ambassadors posted under the sculpture wearing t-shirts that read “ ASK ME HOW MANY KNOTS ARE IN THIS SCULPTURE ?” and were armed with knowledge about the fabrication process to help deepen visitor appreciation . One of
their key messages , in fact , has been to convey how Echelman ’ s inspiration for this artwork was how the consequences of urbanization ripple through the environment as the wind flows through the sculpture . Last but not least , As If It Were Already Here has created a dialogue regarding how the seemingly intangible benefits of investing in civic cultural planning projects translate into measureable results . And while this adored installation descends in October , the conversation will continue .
Laura Jasinski is the Director of Programs and Planning for the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy , the designated steward of the mile-and-a-half long Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston . Laura holds a BA in Architectural Studies and an MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University . Laura ’ s thesis work on inclusive public spaces will be published in Fall 2015 by the Institute for Human Centered Design .
Editors Note : The verdant gardens and open spaces were originally designed by Halvorson Design Partnership for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 2008 and installed with help from many volunteers including the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association . The landscape has evolved with the stewardship of the Greenway Conservancy and has frequently hosted public art installations .
ABOVE Cristina Pareño ’ s Tectonics of Transparency in the foreground with Janet Echelman ’ s As If It Were Already Here in the background .
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