‘Winteractive’ takes downtown Boston by art storm
By Birdi Diehl
Open to the public, Winteractive is a free artwork and play features installed in over 16 different walkable sites throughout downtown Boston. Inspired by northern neighborhoods in Canada, it is marketed as a way to embrace the colder season and to showcase the ideas coming from Canadian festivals, events, and art exhibitions.
Winteractive will be running from now until April 14 of this year. The experience takes about 30 minutes and a 1.25-mile walk to see everything. From pieces embedded into Boston’s architecture to large sculptures, the art ranges in opportunity. The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) has joined LeMonde Studio to bring 5 interactive elements into the neighborhood, which include taking a picture, actions stimulating light displays or music, and riding a bicycle.
The city of Boston is considered one of the most bike-friendly places in the nation. The Light Lane Bikes, located at 100 Summer Street, provide an immersive experience with illumination best seen at night. It can be interacted with on a solo level or with multiple people.
Jonah Gershovich, a first-year student at Emerson College, saw the sculptures and immediately connected with them.
“It’s an object that’s always moving but it’s frozen in time. Especially in such a hyper, traveling city,” said Gershovich. “It caught my attention because it was something real but so ordinary.”
Winteractive is meant to inspire Bostonians to go outside during this winter weather. Downtown Boston BID encourages the public to adventure outside and enjoy the public art experience. However, not all agree with the positivity centered around public art. Boston Globe art critic Murray Whyte voiced his opinion on social media platform X (Twitter) with a link to his opinion editorial in the Boston Globe, saying he did not appreciate the art being from artists not native to Boston.
Other individuals on the platform did not like the art installations in general. Yet, there is still an active conversation happening with varying opinions.
Declan Ireland, a first-year student at Emerson College, believes Winteractive creates involvement within Boston’s community that mitigates the usual exchange of art and its consumers.
“Public art brings an all too often gentrified and commodified medium to the greater masses of the world,” said Ireland. “Rather than just the select lucky few who can pay to get into galleries.”
