The Navy Yard Garden Association has been hoping to bring back public art to the Yard for the past two years after their successful ‘Big Dog’ summer in 2018.
In the planning stages since last August, the Association announced on Tuesday that the renowned kinetic wind sculptures of Lyman Whitaker had arrived and were being installed this week at various locations along the Navy Yard HarborWalk.
Whitaker, who is an eccentric fellow that lives in the American southwest, creates metal sculptures that work with the wind – and with the windy Navy Yard, his work will be right at home.
The exhibit is called ‘WOW Wind On Water, and will be in place through May 2021.
“We are thrilled to announce the WOW Wind on Water sculpture exhibit by Lyman Whitaker arrives this week in the Charlestown Navy Yard,” said President Robin DiGiammarino and Treasurer Nancy Krepelka in a letter on Tuesday. “Thirty-one sculptures will be installed over the next three days and the exhibit will be on display through May 2021. Eight sculpture groupings will be installed within the Navy Yard from Dry Dock 2, to Shipyard Park, Pier 4, Pier 6 and Pier 11 along the Boston Harbor walk.”
The sculpture exhibit was to coincide with the Mayflower 2020 festival that was supposed to take place in May of this year, but was cancelled after years of hard work in planning it due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The sculptures nearly suffered the same fate, but it was agreed that an outdoor installation over the course of one year would be a great idea to allow people to be outside and still remain at a safe distance.
The community celebration piece had to be postponed, however. Both officers of the Association said they would be having an event in the next years’ time to mark the opening.
“Sometime in the future, at a time when our community can safely gather, we will host a community celebration,” they wrote. “For now, during this time of ongoing restrictions due to the COVID 19 pandemic, please enjoy the opportunity to experience this amazing outdoor exhibit while maintaining social distancing.”