mark reigelman plants colorful quaker-style dwelling into boston's rose kennedy greenway

in boston, one of the oldest cities in the united states, artist mark reigelman has realized a site-specific installation that draws from the architectural history of the region. ‘the meeting house’ emerges as a brightly painted new england quaker-style dwelling — the simple architecture of boston’s first colonial settlers — sunken into the grassy lawn of the rose kennedy greenway. fabricated in over 20 parts over the course of three months in brooklyn, the installation was then flat-packed, transported and installed in boston.

the site-specific installation draws from the area’s architectural history

drawing from two significant parts of new england history, reigelman’s ‘meeting house’ invites visitors to investigate boston’s architecture and unearth the downtown area’s unique past. towering more than 14 feet in the air and semi-submerged into the lawn, the dwelling seeks to remind viewers of the thousands of displaced residents and demolished homes sacrificed for the city’s elevated highway infrastructure project. furthermore, the installation draws from the pembroke friends meeting house — the oldest surviving quaker meetinghouse in massachusetts — known for its progressive ideas like slavery abolition, prison reform, social justice, and gender equality.

‘the meeting house’ acts as a reminder of the necessity of social interaction and civic discourse

commissioned by the rose kennedy greenway conservancy, reigelman’s ‘meeting house’ intends to ‘symbolize the precarious and daunting state of american culture while simultaneously injecting a sense of hope and buoyancy into the community,’ he describes. ‘in a contemporary society that threatens equality, challenges diversity and contests progressive ideals, it is more important than ever for public art to become a beacon of optimism and inquiry within the urban landscape. civic installations have the potential to act as gathering points where passersby can explore, question and interact.’

the structure emerges as a brightly painted new england quaker-style dwelling

the installation is sunken into the grassy lawn of the rose kennedy greenway

reigelman’s ‘meeting house’ invites visitors to investigate boston’s historic architecture 

the building extends over 14 feet in the air and weighs over 2,500 pounds

a team of six people completed the installation over the course of five days

the installation will remain on view from now through november 2017

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project info:

artist: mark reigelman II
title: the meeting house
date: 2017
dimensions: 14’(l)x15’(w)x14’(h)
materials: eastern white cedar, birch plywood, galvanized metal, acrylic resin liquid coating, uv resistant plexiglass acrylic, cast concrete, steel
location: boston, massachusetts
site: the rose kennedy greenway
commissioner(s): the rose kennedy greenway conservancy
public art curator: lucas cowan
photo credits: mark reigelman II

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