The Shipyard Gallery
Since 2009, HarborArts has transformed an active working shipyard into a 14-acre canvas for ARTivism. Today, Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina is one of Boston’s premier cultural destinations.
Visit the shipyard
Set within the grounds and piers of the historic Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, the Shipyard Gallery is one of Boston’s largest outdoor art collections. Located on the Boston HarborWalk, every artwork is accessible to the public from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. Come for the day and enjoy over 30 public artworks between visits to Downeast Cider, the ICA Watershed, and Sea Biscuit, set against the backdrop of sweeping skyline views.
History
It all began with an idea, and a big fish. With the help of several shipyard workers and fabricators, Steve Israel built a 40-foot steel cod. One year later, we opened the first environmental exhibition of large-scale works by close to 50 artists from three continents.
Our story in the shipyard
HarborArts was conceived as a global community bringing people together to champion the vital role our oceans, waterways and harbors play in the future of our planet.
An environmentally conscious approach including the use of recycled materials was a central component of the HarborArts exhibition concept. Carl Saliter employed river rocks in the construction of his spherical Apogee. Steve Israel and Trace O'Connor scoured scrap metal for their large-scale objects.
Some of the installed works directly interacted with the water, such as the 1,000-foot long tidal installation by Norwegian artist Gunnar Gundersen along the main pier. At the water’s edge the tall, bobbing bamboo poles of Stacy Levy’s Riverine and Lori Nozick ’s colorful LED-lit Lighthouses set accents day and night, visible from the opposite side of the harbor in downtown Boston. Rooftop installations, such as Steve Israel’s Cod and Trace O'Connor’s Iscariot, offered commanding viewpoints within the shipyard and served as new artistic landmarks for the waterfront communities. Christina Lanzl managed the project both as private consultant and for the Urban Arts Institute at Massachusetts College of Art.
Set within the 14-acre grounds and docks of the historic Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, our first show was juried by then-curator of the ICA, Randi Hopkins. Christina Lanzl managed the project both as private consultant and for the Urban Arts Institute at Massachusetts College of Art.
Past Artwork
